Licenses

• Fishing licenses are required to fish in Hawaii parks if you are fishing for a freshwater species. Saltwater fishing licenses are not required in Hawaii for residents or visitors. Only a very few freshwater species in certain lakes require a license.
  
  

Public Access

• Most parks in Hawaii are considered public-access lands, which means visitors are allowed to fish. Many times there are piers or docks that provide a lot of space for anglers to test the waters. There are some protected waters that anglers should be aware of and those rules should be followed.
  
  

Protected Waters

• There are protected waters and regulated areas in Hawaii. Sometimes this is a section of freshwater on a river or creek, while at other times an entire body of freshwater is considered regulated and requires a fishing license all the time, such as Lake Wilson and Lake Nuuanu on the island of Oahu. No fishing is allowed at all in marine life conservation districts, such as those at Hanauma Bay on Oahu, Manele/Hulopoe on Maui and Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island.
  
  

Public Fishing Piers

• In parks that border the ocean, there are many public fishing piers for visitors or residents to fish from. Any time you see a large pier, you can assume fishing is completely safe and allowed unless there are signs suggesting otherwise.
  
  

Private Property Issue

• Many state parks aren't completely isolated but border private property. While fishing in the parks may be allowed, a person should be careful not to wander onto private property while following the water. Permission is required of the land owner to fish on private property.