Michigan is offering Free Fishing Weekend on February 14-15, allowing residents and visitors to fish without a license. The state is also waiving Recreation Passport fees and providing free vehicle entry to all 103 state parks and over 1,000 DNR-managed boating access sites.
Free Fishing Weekend on February 14-15 allows anyone to fish without a license, making it an ideal opportunity to try ice fishing. The event emphasizes the experience of outdoor recreation, fresh air, and time with friends and family on the ice.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will certify Youth Fishing Instructors at five locations across the state this spring. Instructors will receive training, loaner equipment, and educational materials to conduct youth fishing clinics and can volunteer for Family Fishing Nights and outdoor expos.
The John D. Voelker Foundation and the American Museum of Fly Fishing announce submissions for the 2026 Robert Traver Fly-Fishing Writing Award, offering a $2,500 prize for distinguished fly-fishing stories or essays. The deadline is May 31, 2026, with entries limited to 3,000 words and a $25 submission fee.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announces the sturgeon spearing season on the Winnebago System opens February 14, 2026, with harvest caps set for Lake Winnebago and Upriver Lakes. Excellent water clarity is forecast, and applications for Upriver Lakes licenses are due by August 1.
Deadstick fishing is an effective ice fishing technique that presents bait motionless or with minimal movement to trigger bites from inactive or pressured fish.
Maryland angler Garrett Davis caught Fish 691, a 16-year-old female muskie tagged by Maryland DNR biologists since 2013 on the non-tidal Potomac River. This marked the fish's fourth recapture and first by an angler, highlighting the elusiveness of muskies in a challenging riverine environment with significant angling pressure.
The 2025 Toyota ShareLunker program recorded 1,071 largemouth bass entries from 469 anglers across 93 Texas public waterbodies, including notable recaptures and offspring tracking. Jennifer Fisher won the $5,000 Bass Pro Shops grand prize drawing with her 9.85-pound catch at Joe Pool Reservoir, while Cullie Belveal submitted the season's largest fish at 16.39 pounds from O.H. Ivie.
Evan Trottier of Minot caught a state record tiger trout weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces through the ice at Hooker Lake in Rolette County on January 4. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department verified the catch and plans spring stocking of tiger trout in select lakes through a partnership with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will stock adult-size Rainbow Trout at community ponds across Louisiana in January, offering bank fishing opportunities at 15 designated sites. This rare winter stocking occurs only once yearly, and anglers are encouraged to harvest the trout before water temperatures rise.
Lake Guntersville in northeastern Alabama is a premier bass fishing destination where success relies on understanding seasonal movements, structure, and vegetation rather than live sonar. The Bassmaster Elite Series will visit February 5-8, with elite anglers like Jason Christie, Luke Palmer, and Stetson Blaylock expecting strong winter patterns using BOOYAH Hard Knockers, One Knockers, and Flash Point jerkbaits.
Nebraska Game and Parks released its 2026 Fishing Forecast and 2026 Fishing Guide to help anglers plan fishing trips. Both resources are available for download at OutdoorNebraska.gov or as print copies at retailers selling fishing permits, featuring regulations, public fishing areas, and lake sampling data.
This guide covers techniques for catching walleyes during winter thaws in rivers across the Walleye Belt, including the Mississippi River. It details preparation, location strategies, and methods using vertical jigging, bladebaits from B Fish Tackle, ACME, and Berkley, plus safety considerations for cold-water fishing.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program is hosting a two-day ice fishing workshop in Kalispell on February 6-7 for beginner women. The $15 workshop includes classroom instruction on ice safety and gear, plus hands-on field training at a frozen lake.
The St. Johns River Water Management District spans nearly one-third of Florida and offers exceptional freshwater fishing opportunities across lakes, marshes, and river channels. Featured destinations include Headwaters Lake, Blue Cypress Lake, Lake Jesup, Lake Monroe, and Fort Drum Marsh Conservation Area, each offering unique fishing experiences for bass, crappie, and other species.
Ladies, Let's Go Fishing Foundation hosts a saltwater inshore fishing seminar March 21-22 at Bass Pro Shops Fort Myers, featuring instruction from Captain Barry Nicholls and hands-on training in casting, knot tying, and conservation. Optional guided fishing on charter boats is available Sunday, with registration starting at $99.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Catch a Florida Memory program is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2026 with over 45,000 catches submitted since 2016. New challenges include Secret Fish sponsored by Mustad, Veterans Challenge, Photo of the Year, and Triple Threat Throwdown featuring prizes from Bonafide, YakAttack, Mustad, and Power-Pole, along with revamped Grand Slams and updated Reel Big Fish programs.
Noccalula Falls Park in Gadsden, Alabama has been stocked with approximately 1,000 pounds of rainbow trout in Black Creek for fly fishing. This seventh-year partnership involves The City of Gadsden's Noccalula Falls Park, Rainbow Fly Fishing Club, Representative Craig Lipscomb, and Greater Gadsden Area Tourism. Anglers must possess valid Alabama Fishing Licenses and Trout Permits.
The House Natural Resources Committee unanimously advanced the MAWS Act sponsored by Reps. Elfreth and Wittman to address invasive blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay, and passed the MAPOceans Act by Reps. Fry and Levin to standardize boating and fishing information for federally managed waters.
Vermont's Free Ice Fishing Day is Saturday, January 31, 2026, featuring an Ice Fishing Festival at Elmore State Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and Let's Go Fishing Program instructors will teach ice fishing skills, safety, and regulations to 500-700 expected participants of all ages.