Be sure to set a reminder on your phone (or circle your calendar) for Sept. 5.  On that Saturday, you do not need to buy a fishing license in order to wet a line in any saltwater body in Florida.  You can fish from shore, on a boat, on a pier or a jetty in the ocean, Gulf, bays and canals license-free for that one day.

Here are several good reasons to take advantage:  you can teach a kid to fish or introduce a non-angling friend to the sport at no extra cost, or –best of all– you have a chance to win prizes, courtesy of Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts.

Anyone who logs a catch of ANY fish on the Guy Harvey iGHOFISH app –(a free download on Iphone and Google Play)–will be automatically entered in a sweepstakes to win a one-year I DO! Guy Harvey saltwater/freshwater fishing/hunting combo license and a $50 Guy Harvey merchandise gift card.  Also in this special, one-day tournament, your catch information will be instantly shared with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission through the IAngler program, which helps fisheries managers and scientists conserve and protect Florida’s saltwater fish stocks.

The license-free day applies to all saltwater recreational species such as crabs, lobsters, and scallops.  But all bag and size limits and seasons still apply, so make sure you check out the regulations before harvesting.

If you don’t have a license and want to fish the rest of the year, you can purchase one online at myfwc.com/license/ or at any county tax collector’s office and some retail outlets.