BC's Family Fishing Weekend

Get together with family and friends to celebrate the great tradition of sport fishing! During BC’s annual Family Fishing Weekend, held on Father’s Day weekend, we're offering BC residents and visitors an opportunity to fish for free!

All area closures, fishing limits and restrictions and conditions of a regular license will apply. See the BC Sport Fishing Guide for details. Please learn about when and where you can fish and do your part to conserve and protect BC fisheries.

Get a Family Fishing Weekend licence

Fishing in tidal waters?

From June 14 to 16 only, if you're fishing in Canadian Pacific tidal waters for any species other than salmon, halibut or lingcod, you don't need a licence to fish. If you already have a valid tidal waters fishing licence, you must carry it when you are fishing during Family Fishing Weekend.

If you are fishing for salmon, halibut or lingcod, get a free 3 day BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing licence, valid from June 14 to 16 only. You'll also need to buy a tidal waters salmon conservation stamp if you intend to retain salmon in tidal waters.

Fishing in fresh waters?

If you're fishing for salmon, get a free basic freshwater 3 day licence, valid from June 14 to 16 only, and buy a BC salmon conservation stamp if you intend to retain salmon in non-tidal (fresh) waters.

Know the rules and regulations

During Family Fishing Weekend, and year-round, all fishers must follow the rules and regulations. This means that you need to:

• Check the BC Sport Fishing Guide before you head out to fish. All closures, fishing limits and other restrictions apply.
• If you're fishing in fresh waters for species other than salmon, please see the Province of B.C. website for further information.
• Record your catch. A permanent record must be immediately made on your licence, or in your National Recreational Licensing System account for all chinook and halibut, as well as lingcod caught in the Strait of Georgia (Areas 12 to 19 and Subareas 20-5 to 20-7 and 29-5).

Related links

• Salmon conservation stamps
• Information to know before sport fishing in B.C.
• Information about catch and release fishing
• List of community fishing events during BC’s Family Fishing Weekend