Take a Kid Fishing at Voyageur

It’s Take a Kid Fishing Weekend and we’d love to see you at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters.

MN DNR Take a Kid Fishing Weekend is June 9-11

During Take a Kid Fishing Weekend Friday, June 9, to Sunday, June 11, anglers in Minnesota can fish without licenses if they take children ages 15 or younger fishing, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

“We encourage adults to get out on the water and introduce a new generation to the fun of fishing,” said Jeff Ledermann, angler recruitment, retention and education supervisor. “Teaching a kid to fish can be as easy as rounding up some basic equipment and casting a line, and we have lots of helpful information on the DNR website for learning about fishing.”

In Minnesota, children ages 15 and younger don’t need fishing licenses any time of the year. Take a Kid Fishing Weekend is a way for adults and kids to fish together without the step of buying an adult license.

Minnesota has a strong fishing tradition, but the overall percentage of people who fish is declining mainly due to a smaller percentage of anglers in their 20s, 30s and early 40s.

“Millennials and young adults are interested in the outdoors, and fishing can be a great way to further that interest,” Ledermann said. “Fishing is a way to relax and unwind that doesn’t have to break the bank. It takes you to some incredibly scenic spots on Minnesota’s lakes and rivers where you can get away from the everyday noise.”

The DNR’s Take a Kid Fishing Weekend page at mndnr.gov/takeakidfishing includes links to a beginner’s guide to fishing; DNR’s Fish Minnesota page includes regulations and locations of easy-to-access fishing piers and shorefishing areas; and information about fishing in Minnesota state parks.

Minnesota state parks are a great place to spend Take a Kid Fishing Weekend. Fishing gear is available to borrow at state parks and the DNR’s I Can Fish! program teaches the basics of fishing and runs throughout the summer at state parks. Even when it’s not Take a Kid Fishing Weekend, Minnesota residents generally can fish in state parks without a fishing license if the body of water doesn’t require a trout stamp.