Iowans who don’t already have a fondness for fishing might find themselves hooked as the state’s annual Free Fishing weekend is coming up. Joe Larscheid, chief of fisheries at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says the dates are next weekend, June 6th, 7th and 8th. “It’s a great opportunity for Iowans without a fishing license to go out and try fishing,” Larscheid says. “Grab a family member, grab a friend and head to your nearest pond or lake.”
It promises to be a great weekend to catch a couple of types of popular fish in Iowa’s lakes, rivers and streams. He’s heard reports of excellent fishing across the state, in particular at: Green Valley Lake, Little River Lake and Hawthorne Lake. “Crappies are coming off their post-spawn bite and bluegills are just starting to spawn so they’re close to shore,” Larscheid says. “They’re available for harvest and high catch rates should be found across the state.”
This is an ideal time to take kids fishing, he says, because the chances for success are good. Plus, there’s a nice bonus for youngsters who catch their first fish through a free project called, appropriately, First Fish. “That’s a very popular program,” Larscheid says. “There’s a form on our website. Fill out that form and you’ll get a signed certificate with a photo of the child with his first fish. They really look forward to getting something in the mail. It’s really a good program.”
Learn more at the DNR website: www.iowadnr.gov/fishing