1168 named public waters,
read one at a time.

Moses Lake

Columbia Basin · Washington

Walleye · Smallmouth bass · Largemouth bass

Year-round fishery with strong walleye and smallmouth populations; ice fishing popular near Blue Heron Park when safe.

Access

2

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

• Shore access

South Platte River (Deckers / Cheesman Canyon public access corridor)

Front Range / South Platte corridor · Colorado

Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Cutthroat trout

High-pressure Gold Medal and special-regulation trout corridor near the Front Range; Cheesman Canyon to Deckers is a premier public fishery with heavy weekend use.

Access

4

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

• Shore access

Madison River (public FAS corridor — Ennis / Varney approaches)

Southwest Montana / Madison Valley · Montana

Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Mountain whitefish

World-class public trout river with a dense FWP FAS network through the Madison Valley; Varney Bridge is a core mid-river anchor.

Access

3

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

• Boat ramp
• Shore access

Lake George / upper St. Johns River public corridor

North-central Florida / St. Johns River · Florida

Largemouth bass · Striped bass

North-central Florida public river and lake corridor on the St. Johns system; bass and multi-species opportunity with named public ramps.

Access

2

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with hazard and capacity checks required · no dated closure published

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

• Boat ramp
• Shore access

Lake Erie — Pennsylvania Lake Erie public access and marinas

Lake Erie corridor · Pennsylvania

Walleye · Steelhead · Smallmouth bass

Lake Erie steelhead tributary rules differ from open-lake rules.

Access

3

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with ais and weather checks · no dated closure published

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Rock Lake

Eastern Washington / Whitman County · Washington

Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Largemouth bass

Largest natural lake in eastern Washington; mixed trout and warmwater fishery open year-round.

Access

1

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

• Boat ramp
• Shore access

Cherry Creek Reservoir

Denver metropolitan area / Aurora · Colorado

Walleye · Rainbow trout · Largemouth bass

High-use metro state-park reservoir; entrance fees and capacity limits apply.

Access

1

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with hazard and capacity checks required · no dated closure published

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

• Boat ramp
• Shore access

Lake Chelan

North Cascades / Chelan · Washington

Kokanee · Cutthroat trout · Lake trout

Washington’s largest natural lake (~50+ miles long); deep, cold, and subject to strong winds and rapid weather changes.

Access

2

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with ais and weather checks · no dated closure published

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

• Boat ramp
• Shore access

East Outlet (Moosehead Lake to Indian Pond)

Moosehead Region (Region E) · Maine

Landlocked salmon · Brook trout · Lake whitefish

Short, high-interest public outlet fishery below Moosehead Lake; MDIFW lists walk-in access only.

Access

1

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

• Shore access

Missouri River (Holter Dam tailwater / Wolf Creek–Craig public FAS corridor)

Central Montana / Missouri River tailwater (Holter Dam–Craig–Cascade) · Montana

Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Mountain whitefish

World-class public-access trout tailwater below Holter Dam; dense FWP FAS network from Wolf Creek through Craig toward Cascade.

Access

4

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

• Boat ramp

Gunnison River (Gold Medal / Black Canyon public corridor)

Southwest Colorado / Gunnison River system · Colorado

Rainbow trout · Brown trout

Gold Medal trout water includes the Twin Bridges–Almont upper corridor and long reaches through the Black Canyon system; access quality varies from roadside public sites to strenuous canyon entry.

Access

5

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

National Park Service

• National park

Taylor River (Gold Medal public corridor below Taylor Park Reservoir)

Southwest Colorado / Taylor River basin · Colorado

Rainbow trout · Brown trout

Approximately 20 miles of Gold Medal trout water below Taylor Park Reservoir; Taylor River SWA is a primary published public anchor.

Access

3

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

• Shore access

Fryingpan River (Gold Medal public corridor — Ruedi Dam to Roaring Fork confluence)

Western Slope / Roaring Fork basin · Colorado

Brown trout · Rainbow trout

Approximately 14 miles of Gold Medal trout water from Ruedi Reservoir dam to the Roaring Fork River; one of Colorado’s highest-pressure public tailwaters.

Access

3

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

• Shore access

Smith River (public FAS corridor — Camp Baker to Eden Bridge permit float system and lower public access)

Central Montana / Smith River · Montana

Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Mountain whitefish

Iconic central Montana public float corridor. Floating between Camp Baker and Eden Bridge is strictly limited — mandatory registration, floater fee, and launch-date drawing (February) with remaining launches first-come.

Access

3

Hazards

1

Capacity

2

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

• Shore access

Possum Kingdom Lake (Possum Kingdom State Park + BRA public ramps)

North-central Texas / Brazos River · Texas

Largemouth bass · Striped bass · White bass

Clear-water Brazos River reservoir west of DFW with state-park and BRA public ramp network; striped and white bass are high-utility targets.

Access

3

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with hazard and capacity checks required · no dated closure published

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

• Boat ramp
• Pier

Lake Kissimmee (Lake Kissimmee State Park + public landings)

Central Florida / Kissimmee chain · Florida

Largemouth bass · Black crappie · Bluegill

Major Central Florida public bass and panfish lake on the Kissimmee chain; state-park ramp plus free Joe Overstreet Landing.

Access

3

Hazards

1

Capacity

2

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with hazard and capacity checks required · no dated closure published

Florida State Parks

• Boat ramp
• State park

Clear Lake (public boat ramps and shore access)

North Coast Ranges / Lake County · California

Largemouth bass

California’s largest natural freshwater lake and a premier public bass fishery; multiple named public ramps around the shoreline.

Access

2

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with hazard and capacity checks required · no dated closure published

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

• Boat ramp
• Shore access

Stamford Reservoir

Texas

Largemouth bass · Channel catfish · White crappie

Low water levels and turbid water can make fishing a challenge.

Access

2

Hazards

1

Capacity

0

Windows

0

Checks

2

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

• Boat ramp

South Puget Sound

Washington

Cutthroat trout · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon

Access

2

Hazards

1

Capacity

0

Windows

0

Checks

2

current with tide and marine checks · no dated closure published

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Lake Buchanan (public access corridor — Burnet County Park and published public ramps)

Central Texas / Highland Lakes · Texas

Striped bass · White bass · Largemouth bass

Largest Highland Lakes reservoir with free county public ramps; striped and white bass are high-utility targets.

Access

3

Hazards

2

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with hazard and capacity checks required · no dated closure published

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

• Boat ramp

Colorado Bend State Park (Colorado River corridor above Lake Buchanan)

Central Texas / Colorado River · Texas

Largemouth bass · Guadalupe bass

Remote TPWD state park on the Colorado River above Lake Buchanan with unimproved ramp and strong bank/wade opportunity for bass and Guadalupe bass.

Access

2

Hazards

2

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

• Boat ramp
• Shore access

Tomales Bay public corridor

North Coast / Marin–Sonoma · California

Protected North Coast public bay fishery between Point Reyes and the mainland; tides and shallow water define access.

Access

2

Hazards

2

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with tide and marine checks · no dated closure published

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

• Boat ramp
• Shore access

Chatfield Reservoir

Denver metropolitan area · Colorado

Rainbow trout · Walleye · Yellow perch

Lower water can expose unmarked hazards.

Access

3

Hazards

1

Capacity

1

Windows

0

Checks

2

current with hazard and capacity checks required · no dated closure published

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

• Boat ramp

Madison River (public FAS corridor)

Southwest Montana river corridors · Montana

Brown trout · Rainbow trout · Mountain whitefish

Premier public-access trout river with dense FWP FAS network; private land lies between many sites.

Access

6

Hazards

1

Capacity

2

Windows

0

Checks

3

current with same day rule check required · no dated closure published

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

• Boat ramp
• Shore access