PHOENIX — Pack the tackle, bait, bobber, poles and fishing lines because Arizona's "Free Fishing Day" is Saturday, June 1.
While kids 10 and younger do not need a license to fish in Arizona, everyone older than that does.
Fishing licenses normally range between $24 for a "community license," which allows people to fish at urban ponds and lakes around the Valley, to $37 for a general fishing license and $57 for a combined hunting and fishing license. You can buy a license here.
On Saturday, June 1, everyone will be able to throw out a cast or two without a license.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department will also have free clinics with loaner fishing poles, bait, and instructions at a handful of lakes around the state. The closest one to the Valley is at Lake Pleasant. That event is sponsored by Maricopa County Parks.
- Lake Pleasant (Peoria): From 7 a.m. - 10 a.m., rangers will have free poles to fish at Lake Pleasant. You will need to bring your own bait, lures, hot dogs, and corn. Follow the "Family Fishing Fun" signs. There is a $7 parking fee per vehicle.
Other clinics are being held at Goldwater Lake in Prescott, Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood, Kaibab Lake in Williams, and Lees Ferry near the Arizona-Utah border.
There are 29 urban community lakes/ponds in Maricopa County that are stocked with fish throughout the year. See when the lakes are being stocked with fish, and what kind.
PHOENIX
Alvord Lake (Cesar Chavez Park)
Cortez Lake (Cortez Park)
Desert West Lake (Desert West Park and Sports Complex)
Encanto Lake (Encanto Park)
Steele Indian School Pond (Steele Indian School Park)
Roadrunner Pond (Roadrunner Park)
Papago Ponds (Papago Park)
CHANDLER
Desert Breeze Lake (Desert Breeze Park)
Veterans Oasis Lake (Veterans Oasis Park)
TEMPE
Evelyn Hallman Pond (Evelyn Hallman Park)
Kiwanis Lake (Kiwanis Park)
Tempe Town Lake (Tempe Town Beach Park)
GILBERT
Water Ranch Lake (Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch)
Freestone Lake (Freestone Park)
McQueen Pond (McQueen Park)
Discovery Ponds (Discovery Park)
SCOTTSDALE
Chaparral Lake (Chaparral Park)
Eldorado Pond (Eldorado Park)
GLENDALE
Bonsall Pond (Bonsall Park)
PEORIA
Rio Vista Pond (Rio Vista Community Park)
Pioneer Lake (Pioneer Community Park)
MESA
Red Mountain Lake (Red Mountain Lake)
Riverview Lake (Riverview Park)
SURPRISE
Surprise Lake (Surprise Community Park)
AVONDALE
Friendship Pond (Friendship Park)
MARICOPA
Pacana Pond (Pacana Park)
Copper Sky Lake (Copper Sky Recreation Complex)
CASA GRANDE
Dave White Regional Park Pond (Dave White Regional Park)
