WILMINGTON — As people hit area beaches for the fourth of July, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission would like to invite residents and non-residents alike to get out and go fishing.
July 4 is “free fishing day” in the Tar Heel state. Typically, the shortest license period for a Coastal Recreational or Inland fishing license is for 10-days, and costs $10 for the CRFL, and $18 for Inland.
Although anyone 16 or older can fish for free on the Fourth, rules and regulations, such as size and bag limits will remain in place. To view the full sets of rules and regulations, visit the NCWRC pages for inland and coastal fishing.
Residents 15-years-old and younger do not need a fishing license in North Carolina.
Throughout the year, the WRC stocks the warm waters of coastal North Carolina with largemouth bass, American shad, striped bass, channel catfish, and various types of sunfish, allowing anglers the opportunity to catch multiple species in a single trip.
To find areas where you can take advantage of the free fishing, visit the commission’s interactive fishing and boating maps.
The North Carolina General Assembly enacted the legislation in 1994, and Free Fishing Day has been held annually on the Fourth of July ever since. The rest of the year, anyone over the age of 16 must purchase a fishing license to fish in public waters.
For licensing information visit ncwildlife.org.
