Annual take a kid fishing weekend is now

During Take a Kid Fishing Weekend Friday, June 5, to Sunday, June 7, Minnesota residents can fish without licenses if they take children 15 or younger along fishing, too.

"Taking your kids fishing is a lot of fun and a great way to get them connected to the outdoors," said Benji Kohn, volunteer mentor program coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "It also teaches kids patience, builds their confidence and results in a great family bonding experience."

Minnesota youth 15 and younger do not require fishing licenses at any time of the year, though they must observe all fishing seasons and other regulations. Take a Kid Fishing Weekend allows adults to fish without a license, as long as they take a child fishing with them. Minnesota residents also may generally fish in state parks without a fishing license if the body of water does not require a trout stamp. More information is available on the DNR website.

In the Twin Cities area, people can find accessible piers and shore fishing locations, and lakes stocked with fish, by going to the DNR's Fishing in the Neighborhood website. For fishing locations in greater Minnesota, Minnesota Great Outdoors offers an excellent online mapping tool.

Adults who want to learn how to fish can visit the DNR's Learn to Fish webpage. The page covers fishing basics, where to fish, how to catch different types of fish, and the importance of fishing ethics and being stewards of Minnesota's natural resources.

This year, in light of the pandemic, anglers using a boat should consider boating only with those in their household. If boating with people not from their household, they should limit passengers to one or two to maintain a minimum six-foot distance between people from different households. The DNR encourages anglers to mind their social distancing at all times, especially at public water accesses and on docks and piers. Outdoor recreation guidelines from the DNR and Minnesota Department of Health are available online.

Anyone 16 or older can buy fishing licenses online at mndnr.gov/buyalicense. The investment in the license supports management of the state's fishing resources, habitat that benefits fish and aquatic systems, and good fishing for future generations.