go_fishing

« The Climbing Chinook... | Main | Grow Your Own Food »

Go Fish!

By: Jake | July 21, 2008 | Category: Fun

Fishing with my grandfather was my favorite summer activity growing up. Conquering ponds, rivers and lakes in his old jon boat was so exciting to me, I didn't mind the 5 a.m. wake up call. These days I don't get down to Richmond to go fishing with him nearly as much, but I still cherish the rare opportunities.

Go Fish There are many recreational fishing facilities in the U.S. but one of our favorite fishing holes is Harrison Lake in Charles City, Virginia. It was quiet, out of the way and never too crowded. The really interesting thing about Harrison Lake is that it was also a base of operations for a national fish hatchery.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Fish Hatchery System has over 70 fish hatcheries in the nation that protect fish and other aquatic life. The NFHS helps recover species listed under the Endangered Species Act, restoring native aquatic populations, mitigating for fisheries lost as a result of federal water projects, and providing fish to benefit Tribes and National Wildlife Refuges. Like the refuges, many fish hatcheries have areas designated for public fishing.

Remember that if you want to go fishing, you will need a state freshwater and/or saltwater fishing license for the state where you plan to fish since there is no nationwide fishing license. Some state fish and wildlife agencies offer these online and you can also buy them at sporting goods stores.