Fish-For-Free Days Sunday, May 24, 2026 & Saturday, July 4, 2026 (Independence Day) are 2026 Fish-for-Free Days Fish-for-Free Days allow anyone (resident or non- resident) to legally fish on Pennsylvania waterways on the designated days with NO FISHING LICENSE REQUIRED (Trout/Salmon and Lake Erie permits are also NOT required). All other fishing regulations still apply. Fish-for-Free Days are great ways for families to “catch” the fun of fishing!
@BARRYANDCATHYBECK
STATEWIDE OPENING DAY OF TROUT April 4th End of Trout Regular Season – September 7th Extended Season: All stocked trout waters, streams plus lakes and ponds: September 8th to December 31st. TIME: 8 AM MINIMUM SIZE: 7 inches FISHING HOURS: 24 hrs after the 8AM opener Extended season regulations only apply to waters managed as Stocked Trout Waters (STW). All waters downstream of STW are no longer managed under extended season regulations. The complete list of STW can be found in the 2026 Summary of PA Fishing Laws and Regulations.
Statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day Saturday, March 28, 2026
Youth anglers need a Mentored Youth Permit OR a Voluntary Youth Fishing License from the Commission and to be accompanied by an licensed adult angler to participate. With their License OR Permit, they can take a total of 2 trout (combined species) with a minimum length of 7 inches. Adult anglers are prohibited from possessing trout. Anglers 16 years of age or older are adult anglers and need a valid Pennsylvania Fishing License and a current Trout Permit. To participate on MYTD, anglers over 16 must be accompanied by an eligible holder of a Mentored Youth Fishing Permit OR a Voluntary Youth Fishing License from the Commission. The waters included in the Mentored Youth Fishing Day Program are the Stocked Trout Waters statewide.
OTHER IMPORTANT FISHING SEASON DATES
Opening Day of Walleye & Sauger Saturday, May 2
Bass & No Harvest Season – while Bass Season is open year round, there is a no harvest period from 12:01 a.m. the second Saturday in April (April 11, 2026) to 12:01 a.m. the second Saturday in June (June 12, 2026). During the no harvest season, anglers must immediately return any bass to the water and are prohibited from casting into spawning beds.
XANDER SMITH
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM
STEVE DROSDICK
Locations in Montour County selling in-person fishing licenses:
• In addition to a fishing license, trout anglers 16 and older must posses a Trout Permit (or Combination Trout/Lake Erie Permit) to fish for trout. • A Lake Erie Permit (or Combination Trout/Lake Erie Permit) is also needed to fish for trout, salmon and steelhead in Lake Erie and its tributaries. • Anglers do not need to display licenses , but must be able to provide them either in print or on their digital device upon request of an officer. Anglers must also be able to provide positive proof of identification (other than the fishing license) upon request of a Waterways Conservation Officer. • 2026 licenses and permits are valid Dec 1, 2025 through Dec 31, 2026 (except 1, 3 and 7-day licenses) and are available beginning Dec. 1, 2025 at issuing agents statewide and online at huntfish.pa.gov. • Non-resident students attending in-state universities now qualify for a discounted fishing license from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. The price is $27.97, which is the same as an annual license for state residents and $33 less than an annual non-resident license.
DUNHAM’S SPORTS 225 Columbia Mall Dr,Bloomsburg, PA 17815 Phone: 570-389-9681 GUMPY’S CREEKSIDE CABIN 2861 Route 42, Millville, PA 17846 Phone: 570-458-5131 MAPLE RIDGE SPORTS CENTER 402 Main Street, Orangeville, PA 17859 Phone: 570-387-5099 RED ROCK CORNER STORE 121 State Route 118, Benton, PA 17814 Phone: 570-854-3622 WALMART BUCKHORN/BLOOMSBURG 100 Lunger Drive, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 Phone: 570-389-5750
MONTOUR COUNTY TREASURER 435 East Front Street, Danville, PA 17821 Phone: 570-271-3016 Locations in Columbia County selling in-person fishing licenses: BLOOMSBURG TITLE TAG & NOTARY 550 East Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 Phone: 570-416-0878 C.M. LAUBACH & SONS, INC. 547 East 8th Street, Berwick, PA 18603 Phone: 570-752-3620 COLUMBIA COUNTY TREASURER 11 West Main Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 Phone: 570-389-5626
FISHING LICENSE INFORMATION Fishing licenses are available to purchase online from the PA Fish & Boat Commission. You may also purchase a license in person at various locations throughout the state. To review pricing for all
available licenses, please click here.
COLUMBIA MONTOUR Quarterly
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April–June • 2026
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