No License Needed This Weekend: Try Fishing in Alexandria Sept. 25–27
ALEXANDRIA, VA — If you have a fishing rod gathering dust—or a child who has been asking to try casting a line—Virginia is offering a low-pressure reason to get outside this weekend.
From Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27, anglers may fish Virginia’s fresh and salt waters without purchasing a Virginia fishing license as part of the Commonwealth’s newly added fall Free Fishing Weekend. Normal fishing rules, including seasons, size limits and catch limits, still apply.
For Alexandrians, the weekend is a chance to try a local fishing spot without the usual license requirement. Lake Cook at 4001 Eisenhower Ave. offers an urban fishing setting and is open from sunrise to sunset. Jones Point Park, at 1 Jones Point Drive, provides Potomac River access and is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“Fall is the perfect time of year to explore the Commonwealth’s vast and beautiful public lands,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger said in announcing the new weekend. “Adding this opportunity to our annual celebration of public outdoor recreation just makes sense. I encourage all Virginians to drop a line in the water and enjoy time outdoors this weekend.”
Two Alexandria options—and one important Jones Point detail
Lake Cook is part of Alexandria’s urban fishing program and is periodically stocked with trout in the late fall through early spring. At Jones Point, however, anglers should pay close attention to where they are standing: fishing directly under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge falls under District of Columbia licensing rules, according to the National Park Service. Fishing from the Virginia-side shoreline around the lighthouse and farther downriver is governed by Virginia or Maryland rules.
Alexandria also advises residents not to eat fish caught from the Potomac River because of pollutants. It is a sensible weekend for catch-and-release, a snack, and a little patience—especially for first-time anglers.
A statewide invitation to test the waters
The free weekend coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day and National Public Lands Day. Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources David Bulova called it an opportunity for people who have always wanted to fish to find “a beautiful spot or staffed event near you.”
For those willing to venture beyond Alexandria, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources’ Explore the Wild tool maps more than 1,200 public recreation properties and can be searched by activity, location and species.
The state’s outdoor recreation industry contributes $14.4 billion annually and supports more than 126,000 jobs, according to the governor’s office. This weekend, though, the payoff can be much simpler: a quiet hour on the water, minus the license fee.
IF YOU GO
What: Virginia Free Fishing Weekend
When: Friday, Sept. 25–Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026
Alexandria spots: Lake Cook, 4001 Eisenhower Ave., sunrise to sunset; Jones Point Park, 1 Jones Point Drive, 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cost: No Virginia fishing license required during the weekend; all other fishing regulations remain in effect.
Know before you go: At Jones Point, a D.C. license is required directly under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. The City advises against eating fish caught from the Potomac River.
More information: Visit the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources’ Free Fishing Days and Explore the Wild pages.
