Oklahoma’s Free Fishing Days Are This Weekend Across The State!
As National Fishing and Boating Week kicks off this Saturday, Oklahoma is offering a license-free fishing weekend (June 2-3) for every angler. This includes those fisherman from other states. As a license for a resident will normally run you some +/-$28 for the year ($55 if you're not an OK resident), you can hop out there and cast a line totally free in most bodies of water.
So, lets say you're from California, posted at Fort Sill, and would like to get a weekend of water sports in... This is one weekend you can do it completely free!
Keep in mind, this weekend of fishing license amnesty doesn't exactly apply to all lakes... Army Corps of Engineer and state properties like Waurika, Ellsworth, Lugert, etc are free reign as far as this goes. As are the lakes across the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and areas of the creek in Medicine Park. You might plan a stop at the Little Dam Bait Shop and Store. The super nice dude that runs the place can give you more information.
The City of Lawton is also waiving their lake fees for their municipal lakes too, at least that's what the City Manager office told us Thursday morning. So you'll be able to hop over to Lake Helen in Elmer Thomas Park with the kids, or take the drive out to Lawtonka and fish completely free.
If you happen to get the business from a city park ranger or LPD about lake-use fees, be cool and politely refer them to their city manager. Keep in mind not everyone is going to know about this.
Also keep in mind, while it'll be nice to escape the license checks, you'll still need to abide by the bag and size limits, as well as any other regulations. All of which can be found here.