Wisconsin Legislative Council
ACT MEMO
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Prepared by: Anna Henning, Principal Attorney March 19, 2024
2023 Wisconsin Act 109
[2023 Senate Bill 34]
Dates for Free Fishing Weekend
Prior law required the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to designate the third full weekend in
January as one of two special event weekends in which DNR must waive license requirements and fees
that are generally required to fish in Wisconsin. Under prior law, that “free fishing weekend”
immediately preceded the Monday Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday in some, but not all, years.
2023 Wisconsin Act 109 modifies the dates for the January free fishing weekend to always align
with the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. Specifically, the act requires DNR to designate the full
weekend in January prior to the third Monday in January as a free fishing weekend.
Effective date: March 16, 2024
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
AH:jal