Skip to main content

America's Best Fishing Parks

America's Best Fishing Parks

Just under a year ago, I was fishing silver salmon with Brian Kratzer of Angler's Guide Service on the Olympic Peninsula, which has quite a few parks — including the Olympic National Park, which shares the peninsula with about six state parks and a number of country parks. Gives you some small indication of just how magnificent the Olympic Peninsula is.

The Take Me Fishing campaign recently released its list of the Top 8 State Parks for Boating and Fishing in America. And without further ado, they voted for:

[

Blue Spring State Park, Florida

El Dorado State Park, Kansas

Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee

Lake Murray State Park, Oklahoma

Itasca State Park, Minnesota

Presque Isle State Park, Pennsylvania

Wellington State Park, New Hampshire

Cave Lake State Park, Nevada

Having been to only a couple of these sites, it's hard to argue.  And Take Me Fishing, which is part of the Boating & Fishing Foundation, stated the top votes in this election went to the best parks for "fishing, boating, and water-borne family fun," according to the Outdoor Hub.

But what if the list focused entirely on fishing opportunities? After all, In-Fisherman caters to bachelors, hermits, "fishing widow" makers, and inspired angling couples as well as traditional family men. For instance, my list would have to include Washington's Bogachiel State Park, out of pure predjudice. Caught quite a few steelhead on the Bogachiel during earlier visits years ago with my friend Dan Ross (who now books travel and guides in Costa Rica). And it's on that magnificent peninsula we were just talking about.

We can all certainly make our own lists. In fact, I think I shall. In the near future I'll reveal my own list of the best state parks purely for fishing across the United States.

In the meantime, the salmon run, Midwest style, is upon us. August is when the kings of the Great Lakes begin making upstream journeys. The Kings of August are still silver, still mean, and vastly underfished. Conventional wisdom has it kings run late September through October. Truth is kings run from July through November in the age of global warming. In my many years with In-Fisherman, we've discussed targeting August  kings with fly rods, spawn under floats, crankbaits, and spinners. We've detailed and filmed trolling river mouths with plugs.

Time for something different.

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Learn

How to Pick the BEST Hook for Your Soft Plastic Bass Lures

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Learn

Swapping Out TOPWATER Frog Hooks for Better Hook Ups

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Learn

The BEST Hook For Catfish

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Gear

Maximize Fishing Graph Screen Inches For Maximum Fishing Data Output

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Learn

DIY Rod Build: Exceeding Expectations with the Perfect Multi-Purpose Bass Rod

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Gear

Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot 120 UNBOXING

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Learn

GENIUS Planer Board Modification Tip with Ross Robertson

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Gear

In-Fisherman's Old Town Sportsman PDL 120 Walk-Through with Thomas Allen

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Learn

Old Town Salty PDL 120 Kayak Walk-Through

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Learn

NEW In-Fisherman TV River Jet Boat: Yamaha Powered SmokerCraft Pro Sportsman 1866

Humminbird's TargetLock Foot Pedal Functions EXPLAINED
Learn

DECKED OUT 2023 Starcraft STX 2050: New In-Fisherman TV Boat

In-Fisherman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the In-Fisherman App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top In-Fisherman stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All In-Fisherman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now