Go Fish: 4 Great National Parks for Wetting a Line

I grew up in a fishing family. Wherever we went, we had fishing rods in tow. Every summer vacation to the beach, backpacking trip in the mountains, or family visit for the holidays was really just a fishing trip in disguise. Some of the best places to fish in America are managed by the National Park Service, so many of those family trips naturally included national park sites. Growing up in Virginia, Shenandoah National Park was our go-to for an outing. But we also visited parks such as Acadia and Yellowstone with fishing rods in hand.

Hundreds of park sites offer some form of fishing. From the small ponds found at sites such as Manassas National Battlefield to the Rio Grande River in Big Bend National Park, a keen angler can sniff out places to fish at nearly every park site.

Here is my list of four parks every angler should fish. Some are sites I fish regularly; others are on my proverbial bucket list.

The simple fact is that it could take a thick book to truly capture all the incredible fishing options the Park Service offers — from coast to coast, saltwater and freshwater, fly fishing and traditional fishing, and everything in between. I know I left off some iconic fishing parks (i.e. any park in Alaska), but that’s part of the fun. Write your own adventure, and just get out there!

Shenandoah National Park

Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park was my “backyard park” growing up, and I spent many Saturdays on its countless streams with my dad and brother. The main target species in Shenandoah is the brook trout, a small, native fish with dazzling hues of orange, yellow, red, blue and olive. I first cut my teeth in the world of fly fishing with this trout, and the park is an excellent place for other beginning fly anglers to try out the sport, too.

Shenandoah has hundreds of miles of streams that support trout. Access is truly a breeze, especially if you’re willing to hike a mile or two up a trail to get away from the crowds. Moreover, brook trout are known for being aggressive feeders, particularly on warm spring days after spending all winter in a more lethargic state. It’s not uncommon to land dozens of trout ranging from 5 to 10 inches in a few hours on the right day. And while brook trout are small, the beauty of their surroundings and the fish themselves more than make up for it. One of the park’s most famous streams, the Rapidan River, has been called one of the top places to fly fish in America and even has a fly named after it — the Mr. Rapidan.

Regardless of what stream you pick, a small box full of dry flies, a single spool of 6x tippet, and some flotant are all you need for a memorable day in Shenandoah.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

I wanted to be sure to mention a park in which pretty much anyone can fish — no prior experience necessary. Cape Hatteras National Seashore extends for miles along North Carolina’s Outer Banks, encompassing nearly the entire beachfront from Nags Head to Ocracoke Island.

Depending on the time of year, anglers can expect to catch an array of saltwater species, including redfish, speckled trout, flounder, bluefish, croaker and more. Many of these fish can be brought home for a fresh fish dinner, adding another reason why Cape Hatteras Seashore — the country’s first national seashore — is a great option for the everyday angler on a beach vacation. Simply bring a rod, some hooks and weights, and frozen shrimp down to the beach in the morning, settle into a beach chair, and see what bites!

Yellowstone National Park

Whenever I am asked to name my favorite park, my mind almost immediately jumps to Yellowstone. Yes, I know that America’s first national park is a cliché answer, but Yellowstone is truly magical.

Its incredible wildlife viewing, scenic hikes and breathtaking geological sites are amazing. Add in world-class fly fishing and you get a park that is truly unmatched.

This one-of-a-kind fishing destination remains a stronghold for a subspecies of cutthroat trout, the Yellowstone cutthroat, which is native to the waters of the Yellowstone River Basin that originates in Yellowstone National Park. Anglers can find it in many rivers around the park, such as Slough Creek, the Lamar River and the Yellowstone River. Strong populations of rainbow and brown trout can be found in other famous park streams, such as the Firehole River and Madison River. Despite the park’s popularity for fishing, in my experience, a one-mile hike to a secluded stream (they nearly all have trout) will ensure you have the river to yourself — just keep an eye out for bears!

Olympic National Park

Arguably one of the most iconic species to catch on a flyrod in the Lower 48 is the steelhead, a type of rainbow trout that breeds in freshwater but lives much of its adult life in the ocean. One of the last, best places to catch a steelhead in the continental U.S. is Olympic National Park, where these amazing fish return from the Pacific Ocean each year to spawn in the cold, clean fresh water running off the Olympic Mountains.

Decades of dam construction in the Pacific Northwest, combined with development and polluted runoff, threatened the steelhead trout. Thankfully, the species is making a comeback through the country’s largest dam removal project in 2011 and 2014 that took away two dams along the Elwha River, whose headwaters are in Olympic National Park. Now, fish can return to the park every year to spawn. NPCA is also working with a broader coalition of partners in the Northwest to protect clean water and restore steelhead and salmon migration to other parts of the region, not just Olympic National Park.

If you want to chase the fish of 1,000 casts in a scenic and forever protected area, casting for steelhead in Olympic should be among your dream destinations.

Author’s note: Since every park is different, every park’s fishing regulations are a bit different. Before wetting a line, be sure to read up on each park’s set of rules. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to talk to a ranger, or simplify things and hire a guide.