The best National Parks to fish on Veterans Day

America’s National Parks are offering free entrance this Veterans Day to celebrate those who served and the treasures they sacrificed for. 

On Thursday, November 11, everyone can experience America’s greatest natural wonders for free and many of these parks still offer excellent fishing. 

We encourage anyone and everyone to take this rare opportunity to see the greatest places the country has to offer, while casting a line. Below are some of the best park options for fishing, even as the weather cools well into November.

The Park: Biscayne

The State: Florida

The Species: spotted seatrout, red drum, black drum, grouper and more

While fishing may shut down in much of the country in November, Florida is still going strong. Biscayne experiences its clearest water conditions during the colder months. The warm waters of the state’s south east coast play host to an incredible number of species. The park is within sight of Miami, but will offer a much quieter and more scenic view with islands, coral reefs and fantastic fishing. Ninety five percent of the park is underwater, providing fantastic, protected habitats for saltwater fish. 

Most of the saltwater species are legal to target and catch. Rules, regulations and licensing predominately fall upon Florida state laws, but anglers should double check for specialty rules like a ban on digging for baitfish and fishing closure areas. 

Anglers can access most of the fishable waters through several methods. Wade Fishing, kayaking and canoeing are all great ways to experience the park, enjoy the warm water and set the hook on a fantastic saltwater species.

The Park: Everglades

The State: Florida

The Species: bass, tarpon, red drum, snook, peacock bass and more

Florida is a popular winter fishing destination for a reason. The fishing is so great that only 18 miles west from Biscayne is Everglades National Park with a completely different set of species to catch.

The park is over 2,300 square miles and is a mix of freshwater and saltwater. Florida is well known for bass fishing and the everglades provide some world class opportunities. You will also find gar and the incredibly aggressive peacock bass, as well. In the salt and brackish waters you can cast at tailing red drum, snook and the silver king itself, tarpon.

Boats, canoes, and kayaks are all viable methods of exploring the park, or you can give bank fishing a try. Just watch out for alligators. Charters and private guides also run out of the park and are a great option for anyone with little time to explore the vast and intricate swampland.

Everglades, like Biscayne, follow the same fishing rules as Florida requires, meaning you will need a freshwater license, as well as a saltwater one if you are looking to fish both types.

The weather will be remarkably similar to Biscayne, making your free entrance a welcome change for anyone looking to escape the first signs of winter.

The Park: Great Smoky Mountains 

The State: North Carolina, Tennessee 

The Species: brook trout, smallmouth bass

Great Smoky Mountains is consistently the most visited park in the country. Last year (2020) alone saw over 12 millions visitors. November may be the perfect time to gain some peace and quiet and have one the beautiful trout streams to yourself. 

Over 2,900 miles of streams run within the park and the area is considered one of the last bastions of native trout habitat on the East Coast. Fishing in Great Smoky Mountains can be an adventure, requiring you to hit the trail and hike miles into the backcountry for solitude, or at the nearest roadside riffle. In the high, coldwater streams you will reel in brown trout and rainbows, but you would be remiss if you weren’t targeting the orange-bellied native brook trout population. 

If you’re not interested in native brook trout, try the deep pools of the lower elevation streams. The lower sections of the Little Pigeon River offer the perfect deep water and rocky bottomed habitat smallies prefer. 

Fishing regulations only require you to have a North Carolina, or Tennessee state fishing license to cast freely throughout the park, even though the park encompasses the two states.

The Park: Olympic 

The State: Washington

The Species: steelhead, chinook salmon, coho salmon, sea run cutthroat trout

The previous parks were chosen because of their excellent fishing opportunities and favorable weather, this time of year. Olympic is chosen despite its November weather.

Under a canopy of moss covered old growth forests, under a near permanent cloud of rain and with numb fingers you can still cast for some of the most amazing species. Steelhead and salmon runs are a shadow of the past, but the opportunity to experience the tug of one of these sea-run fish is still available and should be experienced by every angler. Most freshwater anglers will never feel anything close to the fighting power a coastal salmon, or steelhead provides. 

The main river systems running through the park like the Quinault, the Hoh, the Quillayute, Bogachiel and the Sol Duc, are all breathtaking bodies of emerald green, glacial fed waters that meander under green arches of moss.

Each river has its own regulations which need to be assessed before fishing and some run through tribal land and may have specific tribal regulations.

Outside of the rivers, the park is also full of trout rich lakes and you can even fish the beaches of the Pacific.

A Washington fishing license is not required to fish in the Park unless you are fishing the ocean, but if you are looking to go head to head with salmon, or steelhead you will need a free report card. 

Enjoy this rare opportunity of free entry into America’s National Parks this November and when you do, make sure to thank, or appreciate, the Veterans who sacrificed to make these opportunities possible.