CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. — Crawford County residents and Kansans searching for an inexpensive, interactive weekend out in the sun are in luck; the annual Kansas Free Fishing Days returns to the Sunflower State on the first weekend of June.
Scheduled to take place Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7, the annual event allows anyone to fish in public waters without a state license, encouraging residents and visitors to explore the state’s natural resources.
There are plenty of spots to cast your reel in the local area.
Public fishing locations include Crawford State Park (1 W. Lake Rd., Farlington), Wilderness Park (907 W. McKay St., Frontenac), Greenbush Community Lake (947 W. 47 Highway, 1/4 mile south of Greenbush Service Center), Arma City Lake (800 E. Maple St., Arma), Lincoln Park pond (710 W. 9th, Pittsburg), Playter’s Lake in Lakeside Park (402 W. Washington St., Pittsburg), Pittsburg State University Lake (east of Carnie Smith Stadium), Mined Land Fishing & Wildlife Area Unit 1 (U.S. 69 and N. County Road) and Bone Creek Reservoir (County Road 190 N. and County Road, Arma).
Aside from fishing without a Kansas license, all length and creel limits remain in effect during the annual weekend event.
Those wishing to fish outside of the designated weekend must purchase a license. Under Kansas law, those ages 16 through 74 must have a resident fishing license unless exempt. Non-resident anglers aged 16 and older must have a non-resident fishing license unless fishing on a private pond not leased for public fishing.
According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, a Kansas resident fishing license for persons ages 16 to 64 is $3.50 for a one-day pass, $25 for a one-year fishing license, $45 for a one-year hunting/fishing license, $100 for a five-year license, and $180 for a one-year hunting/fishing license.
Youth licenses for those 16 to 20 are $40 for a multi-year license and $70 for a multi-year hunting/fishing license while seniors ages 65 to 74 are $15 for a one-year fishing license, $25 for a one-year hunting/fishing license, $50 for a five-year fishing license, and $90 for a five-year hunting/fishing license.
Those who qualify for exemption include those in the National Kansas, a Kansas resident disabled veteran, and a Kansas resident American Indian.
In addition to Kansas Free Fishing Days, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Secretary Christopher Kennedy designated several park-specific “Free Entrance Days,” further encouraging residents and newcomers to visit during the dates. Crawford State Park’s “Free Entrance Day” is scheduled to take place Saturday, Sept. 26.
For more information, visit ksoutdoors.gov.
This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.
