AUGUSTA — This weekend is Maine’s free fishing weekend and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is encouraging everyone to get outside and enjoy a day fishing with family or friends on one of Maine’s many waters.

Fishing is one of the most popular ways to enjoy Maine’s great outdoors. There are wonderful fishing opportunities throughout the state on the nearly 6,000 lakes and ponds and more than 30,000 miles of rivers and streams.

Free fishing weekend takes place Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, and any person may fish for free without a license on Maine’s waterways, except those who have had their license suspended or revoked.

All other rules and regulations, including bag and possession limits, apply. For more information on the rules and regulations on your favorite water, visit mefishwildlife.com/fishinglaws.

Wondering where to go? Check out the improved Maine fishing guide at mefishwildlife.com/maine-fishing/guide. This statewide guide features the top fishing destinations in the state, broken down by species, tips on how to catch various species, and even provides advice on how to fish with children. You can even use the Department’s Google Earth data layers on your desktop to select your next fishing destination.

And the fun doesn’t have to stop after the weekend. You can go online at mefishwildlife.com and get your license. There are license options for a day, a week, 15 days or a season. The cost for a day of fishing is less than you would pay to go to the movies. And kids under 16 always fish free.

Last year, over 345,000 people were licensed to fish in Maine and fishing contributes over $370 million to Maine’s economy. Money from license sales helps protect Maine’s waters, it enhances Maine’s fisheries and provides water access on many of Maine’s lakes and rivers.

The Department stocks more than one million fish each year and manages more than 20 species of freshwater game fish. Wondering where fish were lately stocked? Go online at maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/fishing/fishing-resources/fish-stocking-report.html.