The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and its Take Me Fishing™ and Vamos A Pescar™ campaigns released the 2016 Top 100 Family-Friendly Places to Fish and Boat in June. Americans fell hook, line and sinker for the fishing experience at Florida’s Everglades National Park, which snagged the No. 1 position as the best place to fish and boat in the U.S. for the second consecutive year.

1. Maumee Bay State Park / Lake Erie
Chain O'Lakes State Park
Fort Custer State Park / Eagle Lake
Dodge #4 State Park / Cass Lake
Bald Eagle State Park / Sayers Reservoir
Keystone State Park / Lake Keystone
Bull's Island State Park / Delaware River
Spruce Run State Park / Spruce Run Reservoir
Round Valley Recreation Area
Itasca State Park
2
5
4
1
5
2
Everglades National Park
Bahia Honda State Park / Atlantic Ocean
Blue Springs State Park / St. Johns River
Kissimmee State Park / Lake Kissimmee
Hanging Rock State Park / Hanging Rock Park Lake
2
5
4
The family behind Dodge cars donated
the land for the park, with the provision
that it always be public.
The nine major lakes in the
park cover 6,500 acres, or
about 10 square miles.
More than 300 bird species have
been spotted in the park.
Both warm-water and cold-water fish
thrive in this man-made lake.
The reservoir was one of the first water supply
facilities constructed and operated by New Jersey.
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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.
When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of
our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic
education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more.
Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300
family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes
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.
Pu’u Lua Reservoir is stocked with more
than 30,000 rainbow trout annually.
1
Visitors can walk right across the
headwaters of the Mississippi in
the park.
The U.S. Army originally used the park
as an induction and training center.
The deep water of Sayers Reservoir is
known for some of the best bass fishing
in the state.
The Delaware River supplies water to
approximately 5 percent of Americans.
Round Valley Reservoir is the largest reservoir
and the deepest lake in New Jersey.
This manatee refuge is home to several
hundred manatees during the winter.
There are five large waterfalls in the park.
Everglades National Park topped
our Top 100 list last year.Bahia Honda means “deep bay” in Spanish.
As many as 50 threatened or endangered
species live in the park.
2016
TOP 1OO
FAMILY FISHING &
BOATING SPOTS
IN AMERICA
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25
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Midwest
South
Northeast
West
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3
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17
3
14
3
13
14
21
22
Clear Lake State Park / Clear Lake
Brannan Island State Park / Sacramento River
Dockweiler State Beach / Santa Monica Bay
Koke'e State Park
Yosemite National Park
1
2
3
4
5
Surf fishers regularly catch halibut, corbina,
croaker and surfperch from the beach.
The record largemouth bass caught
in Clear Lake is 17.52 pounds.
700 miles of channels and sloughs wind
through a chain of islands and marshes.
The mountains in Yosemite are still
growing 1 foot every 1,000 years.
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Wailoa River State Park / Hilo Bay
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National
Wildlife Refuge / San Francisco Bay
Malaekahana State Recreational Area /
Pacific Ocean
Big Lake Recreation Area/ Big Lake
Lake Havasu State Park / Lake Havasu
Birch Lake State Park / Birch Lake
Aurora Reservoir Park / Aurora Reservoir
Rocky Mountain National Park
Lake Shasta / Bridge Bay
Chatfield State Park / Chatfield Lake
Boyd Lake State Park / Boyd Lake
Borough Park/ Chena Lake
Lake Pleasant Regional Park / Lake Pleasant
Doran Regional Park / Bodega Bay
Waimea State Recreational Pier /
Waimea Bay
Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area /
Fool Hollow Lake
Kepler-Bradley Lake State Recreation Area /
Kepler + Bradley Lakes
Echo Park / Echo Park Lake
Deadhorse Ranch State Park
Olympic National Park
Cedar River State Harbor / Cedar River &
Green Bay
Starved Rock State Park / Illinois River
Carlyle Lake
Bayshore County Park / Green Bay
Father Hennepin State Park / Mille Lacs Lake
North Point Marina / Lake Michigan
East Fork State Park / East Fork Lake
Grand River Park / Grand River
Eagle Creek Park / Eagle Creek Reservoir
Alum Creek Lake State Park /
Alum Creek Lake
Governor Nelson State Park / Lake Mendota
High Cliff State Park / Lake Winnebago
Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area /
Lake McConaughy
Mitchell State Park / Lake Cadillac &
Lake Mitchell
Potato Creek State Park / Worster Lake
Carson Park / Half Moon Lake
Fort Harrison State Park
Fort Snelling State Park / Minnesota River
Lake of the Ozarks State Park /
Lake of the Ozarks
Pymatuning Lake State Park /
Pymatuning Lake
John Heinz at Tinicum National
Wildlife Refuge
Belmont Lake State Park / Belmont Lake
Presque Isle State Park / Lake Erie
Lackawanna State Park / Lake Lackwanna
Gifford Pinchot State Park / Pinchot Lake
Cape Cod National Seashore /
Atlantic Ocean
Irondequoit Bay / Lake Ontario
Lake Champlain
Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park /
Mohansice Lake
Gantry Plaza State Park / East River
Oneida Shores Park / Oneida Lake
Mansfield Hollow State Park /
Mansfield Hollow Lake
Sherwood Island State Park /
Long Island Sound
Mohegan Park / Spaulding Pond
Prince Gallitzin State Park / Glendale Lake
Taughannock Falls State Park /
Cayuga Lake
Mauch Chunk Lake Park / Mauch Chunk Lake
Hempstead Lake State Park / Hempstead Lake
Ellacoya State Park / Lake Winnipesaukee
Niawanda Park / Niagara River
Guntersville State Park / Guntersville Lake
Lake James State Park / Lake James
Suwannee River Wilderness Trail /
Suwannee River
Lake Cumberland State Resort Park /
Lake Cumberland
Wheeler State Park / Wheeler Reservoir
Dale County Lake / Ed Lisenby Lake
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Galveston Island State Park / Gulf of
Mexico & Galveston Bay
Hickory Point / The Harris Chain of Lakes
Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park /
Kentucky Lake
Harris Lake Park / Harris Lake
John Prince Park / Lake Osborne
Okeeheelee Park/ Lake Okeeheelee
Blanco State Park / Blanco River
Cedar Hill State Park / Joe Pool Lake
Lake Wheeler Park / Lake Wheeler +
Simpkins Pond
McDowell Nature Center and Preserve /
Lake Wylie
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
Assateague State Park / Chincoteague Bay
& Atlantic Ocean
Lake Ouachita State Park / Lake Ouachita

2. Top 25 Family Fishing & Boating Spots in the West
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Wailoa River State Park / Hilo Bay
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National
Wildlife Refuge / San Francisco Bay
Malaekahana State Recreational Area /
Pacific Ocean
Big Lake Recreation Area/ Big Lake
Lake Havasu State Park / Lake Havasu
Birch Lake State Park / Birch Lake
Aurora Reservoir Park / Aurora Reservoir
Rocky Mountain National Park
Lake Shasta / Bridge Bay
Chatfield State Park / Chatfield Lake
Boyd Lake State Park / Boyd Lake
Borough Park/ Chena Lake
Lake Pleasant Regional Park / Lake Pleasant
Doran Regional Park / Bodega Bay
Waimea State Recreational Pier /
Waimea Bay
Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area /
Fool Hollow Lake
Kepler-Bradley Lake State Recreation Area /
Kepler + Bradley Lakes
Echo Park / Echo Park Lake
Deadhorse Ranch State Park
Olympic National Park
When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of
our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic
education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more.
Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300
family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes
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.
Pu’u Lua Reservoir is stocked with more
than 30,000 rainbow trout annually.
Clear Lake State Park / Clear Lake
Brannan Island State Park / Sacramento River
Dockweiler State Beach / Santa Monica Bay
Koke'e State Park
Yosemite National Park
1
2
3
4
5
Surf fishers regularly catch halibut, corbina,
croaker and surfperch from the beach.
The record largemouth bass caught
in Clear Lake is 17.52 pounds.
700 miles of channels and sloughs wind
through a chain of islands and marshes.
The mountains in Yosemite are still
growing 1 foot every 1,000 years.
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

3. Maumee Bay State Park / Lake Erie
Chain O'Lakes State Park
Fort Custer State Park / Eagle Lake
Dodge #4 State Park / Cass Lake
Itasca State Park
2
5
4
The family behind Dodge cars donated
the land for the park, with the provision
that it always be public.
The nine major lakes in the
park cover 6,500 acres, or
about 10 square miles.
More than 300 bird species have
been spotted in the park.
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7
8
9
10
11
12
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
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11
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13
14
15
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17
1
Visitors can walk right across the
headwaters of the Mississippi in
the park.
The U.S. Army originally used the park
as an induction and training center.
18
19
20
23
24
25
Cedar River State Harbor / Cedar River &
Green Bay
Starved Rock State Park / Illinois River
Carlyle Lake
Bayshore County Park / Green Bay
Father Hennepin State Park / Mille Lacs Lake
North Point Marina / Lake Michigan
East Fork State Park / East Fork Lake
Grand River Park / Grand River
Eagle Creek Park / Eagle Creek Reservoir
Alum Creek Lake State Park /
Alum Creek Lake
Governor Nelson State Park / Lake Mendota
High Cliff State Park / Lake Winnebago
Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area /
Lake McConaughy
Mitchell State Park / Lake Cadillac &
Lake Mitchell
Potato Creek State Park / Worster Lake
Carson Park / Half Moon Lake
Fort Harrison State Park
Fort Snelling State Park / Minnesota River
Lake of the Ozarks State Park /
Lake of the Ozarks
Pymatuning Lake State Park /
Pymatuning Lake
Top 25 Family Fishing & Boating Spots in the Midwest
When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of
our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic
education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more.
Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300
family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes
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.
3
13
14
21
22

4. Bald Eagle State Park / Sayers Reservoir
Keystone State Park / Lake Keystone
Bull's Island State Park / Delaware River
Spruce Run State Park / Spruce Run Reservoir
Round Valley Recreation Area
1
5
2
Both warm-water and cold-water fish
thrive in this man-made lake.
The reservoir was one of the first water supply
facilities constructed and operated by New Jersey.
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
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The deep water of Sayers Reservoir is
known for some of the best bass fishing
in the state.
The Delaware River supplies water to
approximately 5 percent of Americans.
Round Valley Reservoir is the largest reservoir
and the deepest lake in New Jersey.
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
John Heinz at Tinicum National
Wildlife Refuge
Belmont Lake State Park / Belmont Lake
Presque Isle State Park / Lake Erie
Lackawanna State Park / Lake Lackwanna
Gifford Pinchot State Park / Pinchot Lake
Cape Cod National Seashore /
Atlantic Ocean
Irondequoit Bay / Lake Ontario
Lake Champlain
Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park /
Mohansice Lake
Gantry Plaza State Park / East River
Oneida Shores Park / Oneida Lake
Mansfield Hollow State Park /
Mansfield Hollow Lake
Sherwood Island State Park /
Long Island Sound
Mohegan Park / Spaulding Pond
Prince Gallitzin State Park / Glendale Lake
Taughannock Falls State Park /
Cayuga Lake
Mauch Chunk Lake Park / Mauch Chunk Lake
Hempstead Lake State Park / Hempstead Lake
Ellacoya State Park / Lake Winnipesaukee
Niawanda Park / Niagara River
4
3
Top 25 Family Fishing & Boating Spots in the Northeast
When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of
our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic
education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more.
Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300
family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes
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.

5. Everglades National Park
Bahia Honda State Park / Atlantic Ocean
Blue Springs State Park / St. Johns River
Kissimmee State Park / Lake Kissimmee
Hanging Rock State Park / Hanging Rock Park Lake
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4
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7
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16
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24
25
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This manatee refuge is home to several
hundred manatees during the winter.
There are five large waterfalls in the park.
Everglades National Park topped
our Top 100 list last year.Bahia Honda means “deep bay” in Spanish.
As many as 50 threatened or endangered
species live in the park.
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Guntersville State Park / Guntersville Lake
Lake James State Park / Lake James
Suwannee River Wilderness Trail /
Suwannee River
Lake Cumberland State Resort Park /
Lake Cumberland
Wheeler State Park / Wheeler Reservoir
Dale County Lake / Ed Lisenby Lake
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Galveston Island State Park / Gulf of
Mexico & Galveston Bay
Hickory Point / The Harris Chain of Lakes
Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park /
Kentucky Lake
Harris Lake Park / Harris Lake
John Prince Park / Lake Osborne
Okeeheelee Park/ Lake Okeeheelee
Blanco State Park / Blanco River
Cedar Hill State Park / Joe Pool Lake
Lake Wheeler Park / Lake Wheeler +
Simpkins Pond
McDowell Nature Center and Preserve /
Lake Wylie
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
Assateague State Park / Chincoteague Bay
& Atlantic Ocean
Lake Ouachita State Park / Lake Ouachita
1
18
17
3
14
Top 25 Family Fishing & Boating Spots in the South
When you buy a fishing license or register a boat, you are helping fund the conservation of
our waterways and natural resources through projects such as fish stocking, aquatic
education, habitat improvement, fisheries research, fishing and boating access, and more.
Take Me Fishing™, with the help of state fish and wildlife agencies, identified more than 300
family-friendly places to fish and boat across the country. Nearly 35,000 anglers and boaters cast votes
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.