When planning a trip to Pennsylvania and looking for things to do, add fishing to your list.
Pennsylvania is home to over 86,000 miles of streams and rivers, along with 4,000 inland lakes and ponds. Plus, Lake Erie boasts another 470,000 acres for fishing opportunities.
Long holiday weekends like Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day are great times to try fishing.
What do I need to fish in Pennsylvania?
Whether you’re a resident or visiting Pennsylvania and want to go fishing, you will need a fishing license.
If you live in Pennsylvania there are a variety of resident fishing licenses available.
If you’re visiting Pennsylvania, you will need to buy a tourist fishing license.
Pennsylvania offers three tourist licenses; 1-Day, 3-Day and 7-Day.
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- 1-Day tourist licenses cost $31.97 and include trout and Lake Erie permits. However, the 1-Day license is not valid from March 15 to April 30.
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- 3-Day tourist licenses cost $31.97 but do not include trout or Lake Erie permits.
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- 7-Day tourist licenses costs $39.47 but do not include trout or Lake Erie permits.
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- Add a day to your 1, 3 or 7 day tourist license for free by buying adjacent to one of our fish-for-free days on May 24 or July 4.
And if you think you’ll be fishing for more than a week , you can buy an annual non-resident fishing license for just $60.97 to enjoy fishing fun for the year.
When fishing for trout and the waters of Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries, including waters that flow into those tributaries, anglers need a valid Trout Permit, Lake Erie Permit or Combination Trout/Lake Erie Permit.
How do I buy a Pennsylvania fishing license?
It’s easy to purchase a fishing license. Just visit HuntFish.PA.gov or you can buy one from a retailer. Find a fishing license retailer near you.
What if I don’t have any fishing gear?
If you do not own or did not bring your fishing equipment on your trip, no problem.
Dozens of Fishing Tackle Loaner sites throughout Pennsylvania let you borrow fishing gear for free!
Find a Fishing Tackle Loaner site near you.
And if you have never fished before, we have some tips to help you catch your first fish on our How to Fish – Explore PA Waters webpage.
What else is there to do in Pennsylvania?
Add to Pennsylvania’s fishing fun with an adventure like camping, hiking, biking, paddling and much more.
Our Fishing + Outdoor Adventure webpage is the perfect place to get started to find Pennsylvania State Parks, boat rentals, and hiking trails near where you are visiting.
VisitPA is another great resource when planning a trip to Pennsylvania.
If you’re going to bring your unregistered kayak, canoe or paddleboard to Pennsylvania, you’ll need a launch permit and if you plan to launch your boat at Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission lakes and access areas or Pennsylvania State Parks and Forests. Buy a launch permit on Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s website.
Don’t have a kayak, canoe or paddleboard? Boat rentals are accessible throughout Pennsylvania. Find a Pennsylvania boat rental close to where you are.
