Part of Fishing in San Diego, our guide to fishing, long-range sportfishing and whale watching in San Diego.
CDFW’s free fishing days page lists Saturday July 3 and Saturday September 4, 2027. On those days a fishing license is not needed, but all other rules still apply. The page no longer lists 2026 dates, and other CDFW pages we read showed no dates, so check before you plan.Checked October 23, 2026.
The 2027 Dates
The CDFW free fishing days page lists Saturday, July 3, 2027 and Saturday, September 4, 2027. Size limits, bag limits, report cards and seasons still apply on those days.
Other Ways to Fish Without a License
Anglers under 16 never need a license, and no license is needed on a qualifying public pier. See local piers and fishing with kids.
What We Could Not Verify
- The 2027 dates were read on one CDFW page. Two other CDFW free-fishing-day pages we opened listed no dates. Treat the dates as unconfirmed until you check the current page.
- Whether the Ocean Enhancement Validation is also waived on free days is not confirmed.
- A search snippet gave July 4 and September 5, 2026 for last year; both have passed and are not confirmed.
- Kids fishing derbies and Take-a-Kid-Fishing events were not found on any organizer page.
More in Fishing in San Diego
FAQ
When are California's free fishing days in 2027?
CDFW lists Saturday July 3 and Saturday September 4, 2027.
Do the usual limits apply?
Yes. Only the license requirement is lifted.
Sources
Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.