Free Fishing Weekend in Wisconsin

Twice a year in Wisconsin, something kind of magical happens.

During Free Fishing Weekend, you can drop a line anywhere in the state – no license required. It’s an open invitation to step outside, drill a hole in the ice, paddle out at sunrise, or cast from the shoreline just because you can. There’s no better time twice each year to test the waters of what, for so many, is a lifelong hobby –  and a way to help feed their families.

In our latest video, we head out onto the ice at Pike Lake inside Kettle Moraine State Forest to see Free Fishing Weekend in action. Cold air. Hot coffee. That hum of community that happens when strangers become fishing buddies.

Then we stop by A & C Live Bait, a historic Black-owned bait shop in Milwaukee, where owner Tommie White shares his family’s story, and how fishing is about way more than what’s on the end of the line. It’s about legacy. Access. Belonging.

That’s what this is really all about.

At Wisconsin Conservation Voters, we organize. We advocate. We hold elected officials accountable. At our core, we’re storytellers because stories are how we turn shared experiences into shared power. Data tells us what’s happening. Stories tell us why it matters.

Because protecting Wisconsin isn’t just about policy wins. It’s about this place we love and the people who make it so special.

And here’s the part where you come in.

If you believe these stories matter – the frosty ice fishing mornings, the hidden streams, the neighborhood institutions, the neighbors dealing with challenges, the wild places and the people who love them – you can help us tell more of them.

Your support fuels:

• The storytelling that connects people to places that matter to us
• The organizing that protects our water, air, and climate
• The voter engagement that makes sure Wisconsin’s future is decided by the people who cherish it
• The work inside the Capitol where we’re fighting for the issues you care about most
• The community of WCV members who understand the importance of joining together to create change

When you donate to Wisconsin Conservation Voters, you’re investing in the stories that will help build a movement strong enough to protect this place for generations.