Free fishing this weekend for everyone

PROVINCIAL REGULATIONS STILL APPLY

Don’t tell the trout. It’s free fishing weekend in Alberta.

That means everyone can try their luck at landing the big one.

But provincial officials point out Alberta’s sport fishing regulations still apply. They suggest everyone pick up a copy of the 2018 Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations — available anywhere licences are sold — before heading out to their favourite stream.

First-time fishers who want to continue over the summer can return for a fishing licence and an Alberta Wildlife Identification number.

But the guide can also be downloaded at mywildalberta.com while the licence and ID can be bought online at albertarelm.com

Fisheries officers remind anglers to know the regulations and catch limits for the species they’re after, to know how to identify them positively, and to use barbless hooks and handle the fish carefully if they’re a catch-and-release species.

“Fishing provides a tangible connection to the natural world and the serenity to appreciate that connection,” says Shannon Phillips, minister of environment and parks.

“Through ‘free fishing’ weekends, Alberta makes that connection more accessible to those who are interested in discovering the beauty and joy of fishing.”

Fishers are reminded permits are still required in national parks.