10 Of The Most Incredible Places To Go Camping And Fishing

What could be better than a day of fishing? Well, that would be multiple days of fishing in a row at a prime spot near a campground, of course! With the assistance of state fish and wildlife agencies, Take Me Fishing.org recently named over 250 family-friendly places to go fishing and boating in the country. This list was then voted on by outdoor enthusiasts, and further refined down to the 2015 top 100 places to fish and boat. Out of the newly released list of the 2015 top 100 places to fish and boat, here are my suggestions on 10 of the most incredible spots where you can go camping and fishing.
 

1. North Cascades National Park, WA. The alpine landscape views at North Cascades National Park in Washington are simply stunning. Fish for rainbow trout on Ross or Diablo Lake during the day, and then spend the night at one of at the boat-in camping areas on either lake.

2. Bahia Honda State Park, FL. There are a total of three camping areas within Bahia Honda State Park on Bahia Honda Key that offer a total of 80 campsites to tent, cabin or RV campers. Cast your bait out into the turquoise blue waters from shore to see if you can catch a snapper or launch a boat from one of two ramps at the Bahia Honda State Park Marina.

3. Blue Spring State Park, FL. Camping and fishing are two popular activities at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida. Aside from admiring the crystal clear waters of the spring, park you can fish in the waters of the St. Johns River from a fishing dock located within the park. There are also six, two-bedroom cabins that can be reserved for overnight stays.

4. Clear Lake State Park, CA. Clear Lake is known for being one of the best spots in California to catch largemouth bass, but you can also take the kids to fish for crappie or catfish here as well. Due to the number of water sports and activities you can participate in at Clear Lake State Park, it's a great place to plan an overnight trip. Take your pick from one of four campgrounds that can accommodate campers or trailers up to a maximum of 35 feet.

5. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, NC. Watch bald eagles soar overhead as you wet a line in the waters of Jordan Lake, located 21 miles southwest of Raleigh. Fish for crappie, largemouth bass or catfish and then set up camp at a primitive, group tent or group RV site.

6. Starved Rock State Park, IL. Fish the waters of the Illinois River within Starved Rock State Park for catfish, bullhead, white bass, sauger, walleye, carp and crappie. When you're ready to take a break from fishing, you can explore the park's scenic hiking trails, canyons and waterfalls. Campsites can be reserved in advance through Reserve America.

7. Chatfield State Park, CO. Chatfield State Park offers some of the best camping and fishing in the Denver area. Through the summer months, you can fish for walleye, bass, perch, crappie, and catfish. If you plan an extended fishing trip to Chatfield State Park, you can take advantage of the park campground, which has 197 campsites (all with electrical hookups).

8. Lake Guntersville State Park, AL. As Alabama's largest lake, Lake Guntersville is primarily known for largemouth bass due to the milfoil and hydrilla weed bed fish habitat. However, other species such as brim, bluegill, crappie, sauger and catfish can be targeted on Lake Guntersville as well. Overnight RV and tent camping is available at Lake Guntersville State Park Campground.

9. Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area, NE. Lake Wanahoo in Wahoo is stocked with largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, blue catfish, walleye and northern pike. There are camping facilities on the west side of Lake Wanahoo that include both RV and tent sites.

10. Galveston Island State Park, TX. The barrier island ecosystem of Galveston Island State Park is an excellent beach or surf fishing environment for spotted seatrout, redfish, black drum, croaker and flounder. Check the tide charts in advance and plan to camp at one of the tent or RV sites on either the bay side or the beach side of the park.

Now that you have a list of the 10 most incredible places to go camping and fishing, pick your favorite, buy a fishing license online today and start planning your trip.

Photo credit: NPS/Michael Silverman (view from Sourdough Mountain Overlook)

Check the Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Camping for more tips and information.