Get the kids and all the family together and enjoy a weekend of free fishing, all on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has proclaimed June 7-9 as Free Fishing Weekend in Arkansas, and anyone (Arkansan or nonresident) of any age may fish the waters of Arkansas without a fishing license or a trout permit.
Free Fishing Weekend officially kicks off at noon Friday and concludes when Sunday turns into Monday at midnight.
As for equipment, you’re on your own there, and all regulations that are on the books for limits and other rules at the particular body of water you choose will be in force.
If you want to make it a fun family outing for catching stocked catfish and maybe giving the kids a chance to pick up some pointers from AGFC staff, the four AGFC warmwater fish hatcheries will be holding free fishing derbies on Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon. The hatcheries holding derbies are: Andrew H. Hulsey Hatchery, Hot Springs; Joe Hogan Hatchery, Lonoke; C.B. “Charlie” Craig Hatchery, Centerton; and William H. Donham Hatchery, Corning. Some bait will be provided at the hatcheries, but all participants will need to bring their own fishing equipment (rods and reels, hooks, bobbers, etc.). Also consider bringing a cooler or stringer to bring your catch home, along with some water or other refreshments and comfortable outdoor chairs to enjoy the day by the ponds.
Space around the ponds can get tight, so visit www.agfc.com/education/2024-free-fishing-weekend to register for a derby now before they’re all full.
While the AGFC’s free fishing derbies at the hatcheries won’t have catfish quite as big as the one in our photo at the top of this page, there are lots of places around Arkansas where such a catfish might be caught. In fact, we caught wind this week of a 52-pound flathead catfish that was caught at Nimrod Lake, where we’re also told anglers are catching loads of catfish right now.
A youngster and probably most adults would need an extra hand or two with that particular fish at Nimrod, but young Slade McRae (top photo) looks like he has everything under control with this whopper of a catfish that he caught last Friday on the Arkansas River. The catfish measured 14 pounds, 5 ounces. He was fishing with a rod and reel.
