Public land fishing access

Water access and fishing rights change between every state. High water marks, float traffic and local types of public land can all limit an angler's ability to access great fishing water. Knowing your state’s access laws and its most likely public land types is key for you to legally find new fishing water and hopefully that next best honey hole. 

Fishbrain’s new public land map layer lets you search and scout for different types of publicly accessible lands. Anglers in different regions, however, still need to be aware of which type of accessible land is most prevalent in their area. 

Read on to find out the most common sources of public fishing access you will find on Fishbrain’s new Parks and Government Lands Layer. 

Note: The new layer will show you possible public access shaded in a light yellow. Simply tap on a yellow shaded area (which will then turn dark green) and the pull up information will tell you the name of the parcel, the type of land it is and how many acres it is.

State parks

Unlike some types of public land, like National Forests and BLM, which can be highly regional, state parks are plentiful throughout the country. These may be the number one source of public fishing access in any state. There are nearly 7,000 state parks within the country, making up almost 145 million acres of public land. While not all of these parks are near water, the sheer number of them present readily accessible fishing access anywhere in the country.

State parks often come with specific rules regarding open and close times, camping limitations, and may have special regulations regarding catch and keep, or tackle uses. State parks also may have entrance fees, so make sure and do proper research after locating a state park with amazing fishing access.

City parks

City parks tend to focus more around urban areas, but often don’t have entrance fees. City parks can offer amazing access close to home and often are accessible by walking, cycling, or public transportation. City parks are found country-wide and can offer access to different types of urban fishing on rivers, ponds, lakes and creeks and even ocean access. Like all forms of access, after finding the park, make sure to look it up to find any other special regulations you may have to adhere to when fishing there.

National forests

National forests are primarily concentrated in the West, but have a significant presence, albeit more dispersed, in the eastern U.S in states like North Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and others. National Forests and grasslands provide anglers over 220,000 miles of fishable streams and rivers and more than 10 million acres of fishable lakes and reservoirs across the country. National forests can have specific rules regarding camping in specific areas, or fires, but generally adhere to the broader fishing rules set within the state, or regarding the specific body of water you are looking to fish. Access into National Forests is generally free. 

National parks

Some of the nation’s most cherished lands are National Parks and some offer unequivocal fishing. Parks like Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains and Everglades are world famous among anglers and can be found across the country. While these parks are generally easy to find because of how large they are, their borders aren't always well defined. Using the new Parks and Government Lands Layer can help you find secluded areas of these parks, or help you navigate the unmarked borders of the parks. National Parks often have their own fishing rules with some requiring special licenses and others requiring no license at all. Make sure and check with the regulations within the park before you fish.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

BLM land is almost exclusively found in the West, but offers up more than 245 million acres of access. BLM land is often associated with desert climates, but select chunks of BLM often run right along major Western rivers. The Missouri, Snake, Big Hole and Salmon Rivers are some of the most famous rivers in the West and offer BLM access. BLM lands are free to enter and also allow camping and other activities, making them a great choice for extended fishing trips.

Fishing access sites

Fishing access sites are exactly what they sound like. States declare certain parcels of land exclusively for the purpose of fishing, or launching boats. These can be found across the country on lakes and flowing bodies of water. They are usually free to access and generally don't have specific fishing restrictions. You should still always check your regulations however. 

Water Access

Water access rights won't appear as a parcel of land, but can still help you find new fishing holes if you know the laws in your state. Access laws differ from state to state. Some states allow an angler to wade in, or at the historic highwater mark of a river, or creek, even if that water is flowing through private property. This lets you walk a bank, or wade in the water past where the public land boundary ends. Other states, like Colorado, are more restrictive, giving the private property owner the exclusive rights to the bottom of the river. These laws are often in flux due to lawsuits and challenges, so make sure to stay up-to-date on your state’s individual stream access laws.

There are multiple different types of public lands mentioned above including: state lands, Bureau of Reclamation, specific timber company owned lands and private lands open to public access (See Montana’s Block Management Program) plus many more. 

Accessing new fishing spots has never been easier thanks in large part to Fishbrain’s new Parks and Government Lands map layer. Start scouting your newest access point today by using the Fishbrain Map and we will leave the fishing to you. 

Note: Make sure and do further research about each area for regulations, access times, or more. 

Now let's go fishing. You can find the public access.

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