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Guide to 2023 Fish For Free Days In PA!

Find Out When and Where You Can Fish For FREE with Kids In and Around the South Hills of Pittsburgh!

By Emily Papa, Macaroni KID Publisher May 22, 2023

We have another free family "catch" for you and your kids this summer from your friends at Macaroni KID South Hills. 

Fish-for-Free Days allow anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish on Pennsylvania waterways on the designated days with NO FISHING LICENSE REQUIRED (Trout/Salmon and Lake Erie permits are also NOT required). All other fishing regulations still apply.

Fish-for-Free Days are great ways for families to “CATCH” the fun of fishing! This year, PA Fish-for-Free Days are on Sunday, May 28th, 2023 and Tuesday, July 4th, 2023

Click here for more details.




My Husband and Daughter bonding over fishing. 

In the South Hills of Pittsburgh, the nearest Stocked Trout Waters are located at

Peters Creek, Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County - Mouth of Piney Fork down to Bend of Montour Run Trail parking lot

Cannonsburg Lake, McMurray

Little Chartiers Creek, Eighty Four

Millers Run Stream, Cecil-Bishop

Mingo Creek, Nottingham Township

Montour Run Stream, Allegheny County

North Park Lake, McCandless

Raccoon Lake at Raccoon Creek State Park, Beaver County

Indian Lake, North Huntingdon

Long Run Stream, White Oak

Dutch Fork Lake, Claysville

Twin Lakes Number One Reservoir (lower twin lake), Westmoreland County

Northmoreland Lake, Allegheny Township

Mammonth Lake, Mt. Pleasant Township

Virginia Run Lake, Perry Township

Find trout stocked waters located more in the Pittsburgh West area here


Looking for the best waters to catch your favorite fish and willing to travel outside the South Hills? Find PA's Best Fishing Waters here

Do you have a favorite fishing spot in Baldwin, Bethel Park, Brentwood, Bridgeville, Castle Shannon, Dormont, Jefferson Hills, Mt. Lebanon, Mt. Oliver, Mt. Washington, Pleasant Hills, Pittsburgh, South Park, South Side, Upper St. Clair, West Mifflin, Whitehall or the cities in between? Let us know about it and we can add it to our list!

We hope you have a REELY good time! Catch a fish or snap a photo of your fishing family fun and use #pghmackid on social media for a chance to be featured in our stories and an entry to win a monthly prize!