News you can use
News you can use
An angler braves the rain to try their luck at Beaver Creek Reservoir Thursday. People can fish for free without a license Saturday and Sunday this weekend in honor of Mother's Day, as well as on Father's Day weekend in June.
Fishing rods and reels available for checkout are displayed at the Havre-Hill County Library, one of several locations Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has the gear available to be checked out.
Everyone can fish for free over the weekend in celebration of Mother's Day, and people who are new to fishing have some access to poles and tackle if they want to try it without investing in equipment.
Saturday and Sunday, people are encouraged to get out on the water to take advantage of a statewide Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks program that was signed into law in 2021.
"It's a pretty cool deal," FWP Region 6 spokesperson Marc Kloker said, adding that this program runs over Father's Day weekend in June, too, this year June 17-18.
For Mother's Day and Father's Day weekends, residents and non-residents alike can fish without needing to buy a fishing license, conservation license or aquatic invasive species license unless they are paddlefish snagging. They just need to follow state regulations, such as on fish limits and boat regulations.
Regulation guides are available anywhere fishing supplies are sold, or access them online at http://fwp.mt.gov .
Also of note, youth 11 and younger can fish without a license all year round.
In addition to the license-free fishing, the department provides to the public around the state free access to fishing poles equipped with the basic necessities of a hook, bobber and sinker. In the Havre area, the poles can be checked out all year round at Havre-Hill County Library, Stromberg's Sinclair and Fresno Tavern.
The FWP Region 6 Havre office at 2165 U.S. Highway 2 East also has poles, but they are only open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Some of these locations also have extra tackle available to check out, Kloker said, and that would leave only finding bait for hooks.
But, Jim Evans at Bing 'N' Bob's said, people can buy extra tackle for pretty cheap and could even get their own basic setup complete with a pole, tackle and bait for under $70 at most local outdoor supply stores.
It's a great way to get outside and enjoy the spring weather, Kloker said, encouraging everyone to take their kids, mothers and grandmothers out to the water where fishing should be good even without a boat.
"It's a great time of year to go fishing," he added. "The fish are generally active and close to the shoreline right now."
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