Two boys test their fishing luck in floodwater on a submerged West Rockland Avenue after heavy overnight rain Saturday, July 23, 2022, in Lake Bluff, Illinois. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Illinois residents looking to get out on the water can do so free of charge in numerous locations this weekend, as the state’s annual Free Fishing Days will get underway on Friday.
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Free Fishing Days will take place June 14-17, with residents able to fish without a license, salmon stamp or an inland trout stamp all weekend long.
The event coincides with the annual National Go Fishing Day, which is officially set for June 16, according to organizers.
Several area communities will host events in conjunction with Free Fishing Days, including suburban Fox Lake. There, the Father’s Day Fishing Frenzy will take place at Lakefront Park from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
The event is free and open to the public, according to Lake County officials.
Elsewhere, Will County’s Hidden Lakes Trout Farm will host three days of giveaways and events. The suburban Bolingbrook preserve will offer free containers of nightcrawlers to anglers on Friday, and will have a variety of sweet treats and desserts available for fishers on Sunday, according to the Forest Preserves of Will County website.
For those who enjoy their time casting and searching for the perfect catch, fishing licenses are available for purchase through a variety of vendors and retailers, or on the IDNR website.
Local
Individuals over the age of 16 can obtain a fishing license for $15, and it remains valid through March 2025. Those under the age of 16 do not need a license, according to officials.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly> Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
