Stream Access in Your State

[Jack Hise]

The majority of Idaho is government owned. And, if a 6" log will float at high water then wading is allowed as long as you stay within the high water mark.

[herefishy]

Story goes, back years ago, a guy who liked to shoot skeet set up his range over his river, and coincidentally would do his target practice as folks were floating by - legally - on "his river". Kind of took the fun out of the float.

[larryg]

A lot of fisherfolk go there; possible lost travel dollars

[Bruce Norikane]

New and relevant article by Matthew Copeland on his blog, "Stalking the Seam."

Summary: Prompted by large private landholders, New Mexico's legislature has passed a law banning wading access to rivers that cross private land. This despite a Supreme Court ruling to the contrary and against the published opinion of the state's Attorney General.

WADE FISHING GETS THE BOOT IN NEW MEXICO

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Matthew Copeland

http://stalkingtheseam.com/2016/01/04/wade-fishing-gets-the-boot-in-new-mexico/

[Luke McLeod]

Kinda makes me wonder how transitioning to a "tourism economy" will affect stream laws across this nation.

[fritz]

New York has been blessed with publicly accessible rivers and streams. The Catskills and the Adirondacks are the most notable regions in the state. The fishing pressure can be high especially in the Catskills. The hot months of the summer will draw the angler to lake fishing.

[billknepp]

I miss PA a whole lot for the ease of access to waters just about everywhere... ny has for easements like was mentioned but most of the streams are private but I do hear asking a landowner does result in access a good deal of the time..I'm currently working to acquaint myself to the pfrs of a few semi local streams and in the spring I've got to get up to the salmon river n acquaint myself well with it for the coming fall..this yr I plan on reemmersing myself deeply back into the sport I've missed so greatly for a decade..n trying to focus on tenkara in doing so..I've acquired two new rods in this indevor already..n

[Silver Creek]

In Wisconsin, any flowing water that can float a log anytime during the year (eg, during the spring run off) can be waded by the public. All 2 lane county roads have an easement that is wide enough for an angler to enter streams at bridges. Unlike Montana, where anglers can walk up to the high water mark, in Wisconsin, the angler must keep in the water. The exception is if there is an obstruction to passage such as a tree or low bridge over the stream, the angler can go on shore and go around the obstruction.

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Fishing/docu...sFactSheet.pdf

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Fishing/questions/access.html

[Bruce Norikane]

Some insight into the money behind the anti-access forces and how they buy influence in state courts.

Anti-Access Donors Tied to Dark Money Group

Written by Drake Magazine Daily Drake January 14, 2016
Big money from James Cox Kennedy and Charles Schwab shows up in Montana Supreme Court race
Last month?s finding by the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices sheds new light on some shady, significantly large contributions by anti stream-access donors in a 2012 Supreme Court race.

http://www.drakemag.com/featured-con...-it-again.html

[waskeyc]

More details on the laws in Virginia.