Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s state-wide Free Ice Fishing Day is Saturday, January 31, 2026. Free Ice Fishing Day is held annually on the last Saturday in January. The day is geared toward giving new ice anglers an opportunity to try ice fishing before purchasing equipment or a fishing license, but any angler may ice fish on any waterbody open to ice fishing statewide without a license on Free Ice Fishing Day. To celebrate Free Ice Fishing Day, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding an Ice Fishing Festival at Elmore State Park in Elmore. These include knot tying, baiting and using ice fishing rods, tip-ups and other specialized ice fishing gear, and most importantly, how to stay safe on the ice.