2016 TOP 1OO FISHING & BOATING SPOTS IN AMERICA

Gather the kids, pack the bait and tackle, hit the road, and drop your line. These are this year’s top destinations for family fishing, as decided by nearly 650,000 votes cast by anglers across the country.

West

25

Brannan Island State Park / Sacramento River

700 miles of channels and sloughs wind Clear Lake State Park / Clear Lake through a chain of islands and marshes.

The record largemouth bass caught in Clear Lake is 17.52 pounds.

1 14 Yosemite National Park

19 2 16 The mountains in Yosemite are still 7 5 13 12 growing 1 foot every 1,000 years. 15 Dockweiler State Beach / Santa Monica Bay

Surf fishers regularly catch halibut, corbina, 3 croaker and surfperch from the beach. 23 10 24

18 21

9 Koke'e State Park

Pu’u Lua Reservoir is stocked with more than 30,000 trout annually.

17 4 11 20 8

22

6

6 Wailoa River State Park / Hilo Bay 10 Lake Havasu State Park / Lake Havasu 14 Lake Shasta / Bay 18 Lake Pleasant Regional Park / Lake Pleasant 22 Kepler-Bradley Lake State Recreation Area / Kepler + Bradley Lakes

7 Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National 11 Birch Lake State Park / Birch Lake 15 Chatfield State Park / Chatfield Lake 19 Doran Regional Park / Bodega Bay 23 Echo Park / Echo Park Lake Wildlife Refuge / San Francisco Bay

8 Malaekahana State Recreational Area / 12 Aurora Reservoir Park / Aurora Reservoir 16 Boyd Lake State Park / Boyd Lake 20 Waimea State Recreational Pier / 24 Deadhorse Ranch State Park Pacific Ocean Waimea Bay

9 Big Lake Recreation Area/ Big Lake 13 Rocky Mountain National Park 17 Borough Park/ Chena Lake 21 Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area / 25 Olympic National Park Fool Hollow Lake

Midwest

Fort Custer State Park / Eagle Lake

The U.S. Army originally used the park Itasca State Park as an induction and training center.

Visitors can walk right across the 5 headwaters of the Mississippi in 6 the park. Dodge #4 State Park / Cass Lake 10 21 19 9 behind Dodge cars donated 23 17 4 the land for the park, with the provision 13 that it always be public. 16 3 2 11 25 1

Chain O'Lakes State Park 20 7

15 The nine major lakes in the Maumee Bay State Park / Lake Erie 18 park cover 6,500 acres, or 14 22 12 More than 300 bird species have about 10 square miles. been spotted in the park. 8

24

6 Cedar River State Harbor / Cedar River & 10 Father Hennepin State Park / Mille Lacs Lake 14 Eagle Creek Park / Eagle Creek Reservoir 18 Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area / 22 Fort Harrison State Park Green Bay Lake McConaughy

7 Starved Rock State Park / Illinois River 11 North Point Marina / Lake Michigan 15 Alum Creek Lake State Park / 19 Mitchell State Park / Lake Cadillac & 23 Fort Snelling State Park / Minnesota River Alum Creek Lake Lake Mitchell

8 Carlyle Lake 12 East Fork State Park / East Fork Lake 16 Governor Nelson State Park / Lake Mendota 20 Potato Creek State Park / Worster Lake 24 Lake of the Ozarks State Park / Lake of the Ozarks

9 Bayshore County Park / Green Bay 13 Grand River Park / Grand River 17 High Cliff State Park / Lake Winnebago 21 Carson Park / Half Moon Lake 25 Pymatuning Lake State Park / Pymatuning Lake

Northeast

Spruce Run State Park / Spruce Run Reservoir

The reservoir was one of the first water supply facilities constructed and operated by New Jersey.

Bald Eagle State Park / Sayers Reservoir 13

The deep water of Sayers Reservoir is 24 known for some of the best bass fishing Round Valley Recreation Area in the state. 11 Round Valley Reservoir is the largest reservoir 16 12 and the deepest lake in New Jersey. 25 17 21 19 Keystone State Park / Lake Keystone 18 14 9 4 Both warm-water and cold-water fish 7 15 23 8 3 5 thrive in this man-made lake. 22 1 6 10

20 Bull's Island State Park / Delaware River

2 The Delaware River supplies water to approximately 5 percent of Americans.

6 John Heinz at Tinicum National 10 Gifford Pinchot State Park / Pinchot Lake 14 Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park / 18 Sherwood Island State Park / 22 Mauch Chunk Lake Park / Mauch Chunk Lake Wildlife Refuge Mohansice Lake Long Island Sound

7 Belmont Lake State Park / Belmont Lake 11 Cape Cod National Seashore / 15 Gantry Plaza State Park / East River 19 Mohegan Park / Spaulding Pond 23 Hempstead Lake State Park / Hempstead Lake Atlantic Ocean

8 Presque Isle State Park / Lake Erie 12 Irondequoit Bay / Lake Ontario 16 Oneida Shores Park / Oneida Lake 20 Prince Gallitzin State Park / Glendale Lake 24 Ellacoya State Park / Lake Winnipesaukee

9 Lackawanna State Park / Lake Lackwanna 13 Lake Champlain 17 Mansfield Hollow State Park / 21 Taughannock Falls State Park / 25 Niawanda Park / Niagara River Mansfield Hollow Lake Cayuga Lake

South

24 Hanging Rock State Park / Hanging Rock Park Lake

There are five large waterfalls in the park. 5

15 9 16 21

12 7 22 Blue Springs State Park / St. Johns River

10 6 This manatee refuge is home to several 25 hundred manatees during the winter.

20 11 Kissimmee State Park / Lake Kissimmee 8 3

14 As many as 50 threatened or endangered

23 4 species live in the park. 19 13 18 17 1

2 Everglades National Park Bahia Honda State Park / Atlantic Ocean Everglades National Park topped

Bahia Honda means “deep bay” in Spanish. our Top 100 list last year.

6 Guntersville State Park / Guntersville Lake 10 Wheeler State Park / Wheeler Reservoir 14 Hickory Point / The Harris Chain of Lakes 18 Okeeheelee Park/ Lake Okeeheelee 22 McDowell Nature Center and Preserve / Lake Wylie

7 Lake James State Park / Lake James 11 Dale County Lake / Ed Lisenby Lake 15 Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park / 19 Blanco State Park / Blanco River 23 Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge Kentucky Lake

8 Suwannee River Wilderness Trail / 12 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 16 Harris Lake Park / Harris Lake 20 Cedar Hill State Park / Joe Pool Lake 24 Assateague State Park / Chincoteague Bay Suwannee River & Atlantic Ocean

9 Lake Cumberland State Resort Park / 13 Galveston Island State Park / Gulf of 17 John Prince Park / Lake Osborne 21 Lake Wheeler Park / Lake Wheeler + 25 Lake Ouachita State Park / Lake Ouachita Lake Cumberland Mexico & Galveston Bay Simpkins Pond

When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300 our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more. to support their favorite fishing and boating locations. For the full list of the Top 100 Family-Friendly Fishing and Boating Spots, or to find even more places to fish and boat, visit www.TakeMeFishing.org. Top 25 Family Fishing & Boating Spots in the West

25

Brannan Island State Park / Sacramento River

700 miles of channels and sloughs wind Clear Lake State Park / Clear Lake through a chain of islands and marshes.

The record largemouth bass caught in Clear Lake is 17.52 pounds.

1 14 Yosemite National Park

19 2 16 The mountains in Yosemite are still 7 5 13 12 growing 1 foot every 1,000 years. 15 Dockweiler State Beach / Santa Monica Bay

Surf fishers regularly catch halibut, corbina, 3 croaker and surfperch from the beach. 23 10 24

18 21

9 Koke'e State Park

Pu’u Lua Reservoir is stocked with more than 30,000 rainbow trout annually.

17 4 11 20 8

22

6

6 Wailoa River State Park / Hilo Bay 10 Lake Havasu State Park / Lake Havasu 14 Lake Shasta / Bridge Bay 18 Lake Pleasant Regional Park / Lake Pleasant 22 Kepler-Bradley Lake State Recreation Area / Kepler + Bradley Lakes

7 Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National 11 Birch Lake State Park / Birch Lake 15 Chatfield State Park / Chatfield Lake 19 Doran Regional Park / Bodega Bay 23 Echo Park / Echo Park Lake Wildlife Refuge / San Francisco Bay

8 Malaekahana State Recreational Area / 12 Aurora Reservoir Park / Aurora Reservoir 16 Boyd Lake State Park / Boyd Lake 20 Waimea State Recreational Pier / 24 Deadhorse Ranch State Park Pacific Ocean Waimea Bay

9 Big Lake Recreation Area/ Big Lake 13 Rocky Mountain National Park 17 Borough Park/ Chena Lake 21 Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area / 25 Olympic National Park Fool Hollow Lake

When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300 our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more. to support their favorite fishing and boating locations. For the full list of the Top 100 Family-Friendly Fishing and Boating Spots, or to find even more places to fish and boat, visit www.TakeMeFishing.org. Top 25 Family Fishing & Boating Spots in the Midwest

Fort Custer State Park / Eagle Lake

The U.S. Army originally used the park Itasca State Park as an induction and training center.

Visitors can walk right across the 5 headwaters of the Mississippi in 6 the park. Dodge #4 State Park / Cass Lake 10 21 19 9 The family behind Dodge cars donated 23 17 4 the land for the park, with the provision 13 that it always be public. 16 3 2 11 25 1

Chain O'Lakes State Park 20 7

15 The nine major lakes in the Maumee Bay State Park / Lake Erie 18 park cover 6,500 acres, or 14 22 12 More than 300 bird species have about 10 square miles. been spotted in the park. 8

24

6 Cedar River State Harbor / Cedar River & 10 Father Hennepin State Park / Mille Lacs Lake 14 Eagle Creek Park / Eagle Creek Reservoir 18 Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area / 22 Fort Harrison State Park Green Bay Lake McConaughy

7 Starved Rock State Park / Illinois River 11 North Point Marina / Lake Michigan 15 Alum Creek Lake State Park / 19 Mitchell State Park / Lake Cadillac & 23 Fort Snelling State Park / Minnesota River Alum Creek Lake Lake Mitchell

8 Carlyle Lake 12 East Fork State Park / East Fork Lake 16 Governor Nelson State Park / Lake Mendota 20 Potato Creek State Park / Worster Lake 24 Lake of the Ozarks State Park / Lake of the Ozarks

9 Bayshore County Park / Green Bay 13 Grand River Park / Grand River 17 High Cliff State Park / Lake Winnebago 21 Carson Park / Half Moon Lake 25 Pymatuning Lake State Park / Pymatuning Lake

When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300 our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more. to support their favorite fishing and boating locations. For the full list of the Top 100 Family-Friendly Fishing and Boating Spots, or to find even more places to fish and boat, visit www.TakeMeFishing.org. Top 25 Family Fishing & Boating Spots in the Northeast

Spruce Run State Park / Spruce Run Reservoir

The reservoir was one of the first water supply facilities constructed and operated by New Jersey.

Bald Eagle State Park / Sayers Reservoir 13

The deep water of Sayers Reservoir is 24 known for some of the best bass fishing Round Valley Recreation Area in the state. 11 Round Valley Reservoir is the largest reservoir 16 12 and the deepest lake in New Jersey. 25 17 21 19 Keystone State Park / Lake Keystone 18 14 9 4 Both warm-water and cold-water fish 7 15 23 8 3 5 thrive in this man-made lake. 22 1 6 10

20 Bull's Island State Park / Delaware River

2 The Delaware River supplies water to approximately 5 percent of Americans.

6 John Heinz at Tinicum National 10 Gifford Pinchot State Park / Pinchot Lake 14 Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park / 18 Sherwood Island State Park / 22 Mauch Chunk Lake Park / Mauch Chunk Lake Wildlife Refuge Mohansice Lake Long Island Sound

7 Belmont Lake State Park / Belmont Lake 11 Cape Cod National Seashore / 15 Gantry Plaza State Park / East River 19 Mohegan Park / Spaulding Pond 23 Hempstead Lake State Park / Hempstead Lake Atlantic Ocean

8 Presque Isle State Park / Lake Erie 12 Irondequoit Bay / Lake Ontario 16 Oneida Shores Park / Oneida Lake 20 Prince Gallitzin State Park / Glendale Lake 24 Ellacoya State Park / Lake Winnipesaukee

9 Lackawanna State Park / Lake Lackwanna 13 Lake Champlain 17 Mansfield Hollow State Park / 21 Taughannock Falls State Park / 25 Niawanda Park / Niagara River Mansfield Hollow Lake Cayuga Lake

When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300 our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more. to support their favorite fishing and boating locations. For the full list of the Top 100 Family-Friendly Fishing and Boating Spots, or to find even more places to fish and boat, visit www.TakeMeFishing.org. Top 25 Family Fishing & Boating Spots in the South

24 Hanging Rock State Park / Hanging Rock Park Lake

There are five large waterfalls in the park. 5

15 9 16 21

12 7 22 Blue Springs State Park / St. Johns River

10 6 This manatee refuge is home to several 25 hundred manatees during the winter.

20 11 Kissimmee State Park / Lake Kissimmee 8 3

14 As many as 50 threatened or endangered

23 4 species live in the park. 19 13 18 17 1

2 Everglades National Park Bahia Honda State Park / Atlantic Ocean Everglades National Park topped

Bahia Honda means “deep bay” in Spanish. our Top 100 list last year.

6 Guntersville State Park / Guntersville Lake 10 Wheeler State Park / Wheeler Reservoir 14 Hickory Point / The Harris Chain of Lakes 18 Okeeheelee Park/ Lake Okeeheelee 22 McDowell Nature Center and Preserve / Lake Wylie

7 Lake James State Park / Lake James 11 Dale County Lake / Ed Lisenby Lake 15 Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park / 19 Blanco State Park / Blanco River 23 Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge Kentucky Lake

8 Suwannee River Wilderness Trail / 12 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 16 Harris Lake Park / Harris Lake 20 Cedar Hill State Park / Joe Pool Lake 24 Assateague State Park / Chincoteague Bay Suwannee River & Atlantic Ocean

9 Lake Cumberland State Resort Park / 13 Galveston Island State Park / Gulf of 17 John Prince Park / Lake Osborne 21 Lake Wheeler Park / Lake Wheeler + 25 Lake Ouachita State Park / Lake Ouachita Lake Cumberland Mexico & Galveston Bay Simpkins Pond

When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300 our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more. to support their favorite fishing and boating locations. For the full list of the Top 100 Family-Friendly Fishing and Boating Spots, or to find even more places to fish and boat, visit www.TakeMeFishing.org.