Oklahoma’s Free Fishing Weekend Is Coming Up

If you're one of those normies that always says things like "There's nothing to do in Oklahoma..." hold onto your butts because Oklahoma's statewide free fishing weekend is coming up quick!

Here's the thing, fishing is glorious and it's time spent outdoors. In Southwest Oklahoma, we're privileged with some of the prettiest lakes in the state and the fish are easy to catch. Most of the Wichita Mountain lakes hold giant bass.

It's an affordable hobby to try out, and you don't even need a license for one weekend each year.

Saturday and Sunday, June 1st & 2nd are the days this year anyone and everyone is welcome to go fishing completely free of charge in the State of Oklahoma... sort of. Some lakes charge a use fee for fishing, but it's normally a dollar or two. All the same, most state and municipal lakes waive that fee for the free fishing weekend.

Don't get trapped into the mindset that you need a lot of gear to go fishing either. Too many people suffer from GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome - where your excitement turns you into a hoarder of gimmicky stuff you think you might need.

You don't. That's just effective marketing. A cheap spinning rod and reel plus a little tackle will get you going. A $10 rod/reel combo will catch fish just as well as a $1000 setup.

If you're brand new to fishing and just looking to try, I might suggest live bait. You just toss it out and wait for something to bite. If you have a little experience rigging plastic baits, you might be prime for a little finesse cast-out/reel-in fishing. If you just want to experience this nostalgia with your kiddos, you can buy pre-lined small hooks and scented fish-pellet baits when you buy your ultra-cheap rods and reels. You don't need anything beyond the basics.

If you get overwhelmed looking at all the different brands of fishing gear on store shelves, take a breath and relax. The way the fishing industry has gone over the last twenty years, all of the rods, reels, tackle, and gear are made by the same handful of companies. This is especially true in that low "I want to try it" price range.

Know what you want to spend, and everything in that similar range is practically identical to everything else... Quality doesn't differ between brands as much as color does. Well, that and the fact everyone wants to put cool-sounding names on everything. Truth be told, it's all marketing based on trying to catch the angler rather than the fish.

If you have fun and decide you want to keep on fishing, worry about buying quality stuff when you cross that bridge. Just get what you need to go out and enjoy what will likely be a blistering weekend on the water.

Before I forget, don't forget to protect yourself while being out in the sun. Those fancy designated "Fishing" shirts you'll find might feel like simple wicking material, but the sun protection and cooling effect you'll get from them is worth every penny. Columbia makes good stuff, but I've always been a Magellan man. Identical products, polar opposite price ranges.

Sunscreen is a necessity all over. You have to remember that the sun is bouncing off the water hitting you at all angles. Believe me, getting a sunburn under your chin is a bummer.

Invest in a big ole cheap straw hat. I know they look stupid but while your ballcap-wearing buddies suffer from sunburned ears and malignant melanoma, you'll know that "old man" hat had your back. They also flow a good amount of air around your sweaty head. It'll amaze you how cool it'll keep you. I always buy the $5-$10 golf hats at Walmart.

A good set of polarized sunglasses is also a practical necessity. Because that sun bounces off the water, you want to cut down on the UV-A and B rays getting to your eyes. Besides, you'll wear them long after you've had your free fishing weekend.

I hope you make a plan to get out there and discover the outdoorsman's paradise that is Oklahoma. It's cheap, free, and the kids will remember it for life.

Here are the full official Oklahoma State details.