Each year, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) sets aside a weekend in which the license requirement for fishing in state waters is waived. This Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and June 13, Louisiana residents and visitors are encouraged to go outside and enjoy the fabulous fishing opportunities available in the Sportsman’s Paradise, regardless of whether they possess a valid fishing license or not.
“Whether your interest is saltwater or fresh, we encourage you to get on the water with family and friends and enjoy some of the best fishing on the planet,” explained LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet in a LDWF press release.
Free Fishing Weekend represents an opportunity for people who may not have been introduced to the joys of the outdoors lifestyle to participate without having to jump through the legal hoop of buying a license.
If you plan on participating this weekend, please remember that it is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with Louisiana’s fishing regulations, including size, season, catch limits, and gear restrictions. Only the license requirement is waived. All other state rules will remain in effect. Louisiana’s 2021 fishing regulations are available for your perusal on the LDWF website.
Recreational Offshore Landing Permit
If you are using Free Fishing Weekend as an opportunity to try your luck offshore, you are required to have a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP) when possessing tunas, snappers, groupers, amberjacks, hinds, cobia, wahoo, dolphin fish, billfish, and swordfish.
“When registering for an ROLP, anglers should choose the ‘Free Fishing Weekend’ option when asked for their license type,” LDWF said. “Registering for an ROLP in this manner does not require a fishing license number, and the ROLP will be valid Saturday, June 12, and Sunday, June 13.”
To register for an ROLP, visit the link below or download the ROLP app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, also linked below.
If after Free Fishing Weekend you would like to discover what else Louisiana’s waters offer the fisherman, please buy a fishing license; doing so provides funding for public fishing and boating access, fishing programs and education, and fisheries management through the Sport Fish Restoration Fund.
Please remember that the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources, but receives no state general funding. LDWF’s mission depends on license sales as a major funding source.
Please review Louisiana’s 2021 fishing regulations by visiting 2021_Louisiana_Recreational_Fishing_Regs.pdf.
To register for a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP), visit LDWF ROLP (la.gov), the Apple app store at LDWF ROLP on the App Store (apple.com), or the Google Play Store at LDWF ROLP – Apps on Google Play.
