Get out and fish!

There’s certainly no shortage of fishing opportunities in Louisiana, particularly during the state’s annual celebration of Free Fishing Weekend June 8 & 9, 2019. This year, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is offering a unique, incentive-based fishing experience with its Get Out and Fish! Weekend Derby.

Free fishing weekend provides an opportunity for anglers to fish without a fishing license on any of the state’s public waters. To encourage anglers to take advantage of this opportunity, any tagged catfish landed at a Get Out & Fish! site is eligible for a prize sponsored by Berkley and Louisiana Fish Fry.

Tagged channel catfish will be stocked at 10 LDWF Get Out and Fish! ponds across Louisiana. For more information about the event including directions, reporting instructions, and derby rules, click here.

Get Out & Fish ! Community Fishing sites to be stocked with tagged catfish include:

Girard Park – Lafayette

BREC’s Burbank Park – Baton Rouge

Kiroli Park – West Monroe

Turner’s Pond – Minden

William T. Polk City Park Pond – Vidalia

Purple Heart Memorial Park Pond – Ragley

Grambling City Park Pond – Grambling

Southside Regional Park – Fabacher Field – Youngsville

Elmore D. Mayfield Park – Ruston

Sidney Hutchinson Park – Walker

This event is hosted in conjunction with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation (LWFF). The LWFF was formed to provide a means for individuals and corporations to become partners with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission in the challenge of conserving Louisiana’s wildlife and fish resources.