View Full Version : Fishing by section what sections would be good
AfterParty
08-29-2016, 21:56
Which states section gap ect if you near the at any decent fishing ?
Gambit McCrae
08-30-2016, 09:05
Err, not a whole lot of options here in the southern half, you would do a lot more carrying of ones rod then throwing it, but heres a shot(in best order I remember)
NOC
Fontana Lake
Pigeon River
French Broad River
Nolichucky
Elk River
Laurel falls creek?
Watauga Damn:One side is the lake, other side is the Holston River some of the best trout fishing in TN
There is a stream along the Creeper trail which the name of has always skipped me
In southern VA the little Holston River is crossed 3 times
James river
In Harpers Ferry there is the confluence of the Shenandoah river and the Potomac.
Up in NE there are all kinds of lakes rivers and ponds...
Problem from a legal standpoint if we are going to consider this, is every state requires a fishing license(I think). So if we were going to play by the rules, you could I guess get on your smart phone, pay for a one day license and have at it the once every week or 2 you cross a viable fishing spot
Traveler
08-30-2016, 09:41
Problem from a legal standpoint if we are going to consider this, is every state requires a fishing license(I think). So if we were going to play by the rules, you could I guess get on your smart phone, pay for a one day license and have at it the once every week or 2 you cross a viable fishing spot
A good point and one sometimes overlooked. Even if you aren't fishing and a Warden finds you sitting alongside a body of water with a fishing pole (regardless if its strapped down to the pack or not) it can be interpreted as fishing without a license. Fines are serious with that stuff, so use a bit of caution. The AT corridor is patrolled in most of the areas of the NE that have fishable waters.
AfterParty
08-30-2016, 09:57
I would have appropriate license before fishing.
Maine's "hundred mile" wilderness has the best trout fishing on the entire trail. If you get off the trail a short distance, It's unlikely to ever see other fishermen on most of the streams you cross. Southern PA, South of Boiling Springs has some good stocked streams that get over fished as the Summer wears on. The tailwater of almost every Southern Dam will have good trout fishing. The taller the dam the better. They plant trout there and because they take the water from the bottom of the lake into the river, it will be very cold all year, just right for trout.
AfterParty
09-01-2016, 18:17
Thank you for that bit of knowledge!
No, don't do Maine. I thought it would be good too, so I paid $50 for the non-resident license when I hiked from Andover to Mt K. Fished many times and had big problems with high winds on lakes. Caught nothing. Never had a single nibble.
I miss my $50. I could have bought a barrel full of fish at the store...
I would have appropriate license before fishing.
How? Are you intending to mainly hike and occasionally fish or just want to fish on the AT? One of the issues I had on a thru-hike and two other longer stretch multi state AT section hikes was in the timing and obtaining in hand of "having appropriate licenses." I hope your timing is more spot on AND LEGAL than I was able to achieve. In many states the AT goes through to save money I'd say go with the less expensive 3 or 7 day out of state(non resident) license compared to an annual out of state license one may want for long AT trail mileage states with a variety of freshwater fishing pops such as VA. Time the buying and obtaining of those 3 or 7 day licenses to coincide when you'll be fishing that state's most productive fishing waters. Also some states recognize other state licenses on state boundary waters so you can possibly save some license money that way. ie; Potomac/Shenandoah(VA, W. VA. MD(forget MD fishing License!), Delaware Rivers(PA/NJ), Greenwood Lake(NJ/NY), etc. And since Gambit mentioned the great trout fishing near Wautaga a TN Out of State license cost is vastly different if you decide on including trout as an intended catch. This matters unless you don't care about cost and/or legality.
AfterParty
09-02-2016, 20:27
I would like to catch a fish when its doable. Mostly I will be hiking but a 10 minute break can pay for itself. I'm a firm believer in following game laws. So tn has a trout stamp so to speak? I will be going to each states dpw and figuring out each. Probably skip GA.
Traveler
09-03-2016, 06:56
I would like to catch a fish when its doable. Mostly I will be hiking but a 10 minute break can pay for itself. I'm a firm believer in following game laws. So tn has a trout stamp so to speak? I will be going to each states dpw and figuring out each. Probably skip GA.
Thats going to get expensive if you want to be legal in each State you pass through on the chance you may wet a line. I've been interested in what that cost is for a while, so I visited the State websites and got the following information
Non-resident license costs for short term use are listed below along with additional stamp costs if applicable:
TN 3-day $40.50, 10-day $61.00. (all species)
VA 5-day $21.00 (if trout fishing in specific stocked waters it will be $47.00)
MD 3-day $22.50, 7-day $30.50 (Trout stamp $10.00)
PA 1-day $26.90, 3 =-day $26.90, 7-day $34.90 (all species)
NJ 2-day $9.00, 7-day $19.50, (trout stamp $20.00)
NY 1-day $10.00, 7-day $28.00 (all species)
CT 3-day $22.00 (all species)
MA 3-day $23.50 (all species)
VT 3-day $23.00, 7-day $31.00 (all species)
NH 1-day $15.00, 3-day $28.00, 7-day $35.00 (all species)
ME 3-day $23.50 (all species) no longer short term licenses available, over 3-days is $37.50
Some States may add a Habitat or Conservation fee to of between $5.00 and $10.00, but those States were unclear in how that fee was assigned so I left them off the list. As a rule of thumb, if the short term license would not cover time spent in that State, a season license cost would be approximately double the cost of the 3 or 5 day as an estimate.
Looks like about $350.00 as a budget figure would get you close to the licenses you'd need to cover AT walking in the various States.
Hope this helps!
Traveler, that $350 figure could be reduced because of reciprocal state agreements on likely waters that would be fished, states where likely fishing opps aren't abundant enough on/very near the AT to warrant fishing/buying a license, etc. It can still be a resource hassle though staying legal while on a hike through so many states. If say doing a AT section hike through four, five, six, or so states or a VA or ME AT section hike then the hassle factor and cost goes way down.
I think it good to consider what one is mainly trying to do before embarking on a hiking/fishing trek. For many that is hard without long duration AT hiking experience. Unless one is very flexible as to their hiking agenda(isn't on a limited timeframe hike) or has it down what they mainly intend to do, what waters they will fish, what states they will fish, what they will fish for, etc what can easily occur is the fishing gear being not utilized as often as anticipated especially when one gets into a hiking zone mindset. At this point it's realized money and licenses go under utilized and the resources allocated to have licenses in hand, know applicable laws, etc starts becoming perceived as a hassle/waste of resources OR the entire "I'm going to be LEGAL" intention is thrown out.
I think it wise to plan by looking at AT topo maps beforehand selecting specific potential waters to ask questions about than asking broad questions about AT fishing opps the entire length of the trail. And, if one is asking about entire length of the trail freshwater fishing opps than it's likely this person is asking as one who is anticipating a thru-hike. And, this person is likely a first time thru hiker who has little idea of the mindset that typically develops on a thru-hike where the hike takes priority over other things like fishing. SO OFTEN I hear "I intend too stay legal" yet legality is soon thrown out the window. In short fishing opps on the AT aren't ALWAYS as often encountered as one assumes.
"I would like to catch a fish when its doable. I'm a firm believer in following game laws."
This is the typical intention. It was my intention on the AT. These intentions can and easily do fall by the way side on a long AT hike and even more so can that happen on a AT thru-hike.
Another thing if the OP is anticipating fishing on a AT thru-hike especially if it's a NOBO thru an early start date maybe it makes little sense to buy licenses near the start of the thru. Settle in being a hiker first. Then settle in being a thru-hiker adapting to trail life next. THEN, consider adding the fishing aspect.
I have fished in at least 7 states up and down the AT and I have never encountered the fish cops or ever bought a license.
I have fished in at least 7 states up and down the AT and I have never encountered the fish cops or ever bought a license.
Preaching across down to anyone, the rationalization of the "what can I get away mentality" is a slippery slope that has consequences far beyond legally fishing.
AfterParty, don't have the idea that the AT - a walk through the Wilderness - always entails routine fishing opportunities. It doesn't. Long stretches occur with few to no decent fishing pops. Knowing those stretches helps plan for a successful trip booth from a hiking and fishing perspective. I've seen what I thought would be fishy locations only to find little to nothing worth fishing for.
Traveler
09-03-2016, 17:07
Traveler, that $350 figure could be reduced because of reciprocal state agreements on likely waters that would be fished, states where likely fishing opps aren't abundant enough on/very near the AT to warrant fishing/buying a license, etc. It can still be a resource hassle though staying legal while on a hike through so many states. If say doing a AT section hike through four, five, six, or so states or a VA or ME AT section hike then the hassle factor and cost goes way down.
Agreed. I was curious about the costs of legally fishing along the AT, which is why I put the list up.
AfterParty
09-03-2016, 17:09
I understand I'll be walking more then fishing and there will be a lot of no fishing sections, it is something I really want to incorporate into my attempt. Post 12 dogwood great advise and most likely my plan, adapt to the trail and get my legs will take priority. Some folks like to read I like to fish.
Moosling
09-03-2016, 21:42
Keep in mind too certain states like PA and MD have regulations when it comes to trout fishing as far as what type of fishing you are doing, some areas only Fly fishing is permitted. It would be good to educate yourself with the regulations in that particular area. Violators are subject to fines if they have a license or not.
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