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Ah, fishing. It’s a truly timeless activity, which has been enjoyed by generations and generations. Not only is it fun and challenging, but if you’re at campgrounds with fishing nearby you may even have something to cook over your campfire!
Few things go together like fishing and camping, and next time you park your RV at a campsite, you might find yourself hankering for some angling. Well, good news: there are tons of great RV campgrounds with fishing nearby all over the country!
Today, we’re going to take a closer look at fishing at and around RV campgrounds. Plus, we’ll give you a list of the 15 best RV campgrounds with fishing, both fresh and saltwater.
Are There RV Campgrounds With Fishing?
If you’re wondering if there are RV campgrounds with fishing, then good news: the answer is yes!
While it’s far from universal, it’s not uncommon for RV campgrounds to have fishing on-site. In most cases, this comes in the form of a stocked fishing pond at the campground.
Usually, these require no license but are strictly catch and release, so don’t expect to catch dinner at such a fishing pond.
In rarer cases, RV campgrounds have fishing in a natural body of water on their property, such as a river. This isn’t something you find often, but it’s a real treat if you find yourself at a campground with this amenity.
In cases where there’s no fishing on-site at a campground, there’s still a good chance there’s fishing to be found nearby. Look for nearby bodies of water such as lakes and rivers, and you can likely find some decent fishing anywhere you go.
15 Best RV Campgrounds With Fishing Nearby
We’ve gathered 15 of the best RV campgrounds with fishing nearby for you to check out. We’ll start with 9 great campgrounds for freshwater fishing. Then, we’ll cover 6 top campgrounds for saltwater fishing.
9 Best Campgrounds with Freshwater Fishing Nearby
First up, 9 campgrounds with freshwater fishing on-site or nearby.
1. Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains
Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains is the perfect campground with fishing for a mountain getaway. The campground is in Granby, CO, located in the Rocky Mountains outside of Denver.
The main fishing spot nearby is Lake Granby, Colorado’s third largest body of water with over 40 miles of shoreline.
Rent a pontoon boat, head out to the water, and try your luck at catching trout, salmon, and more. In addition to Lake Granby, other nearby freshwater fishing spots include Shadow Mountain Lake, Grand Lake, the Colorado River, and the Fraser River.
The campground itself offers a luxury RV resort experience with extensive amenities like:
- Pools and hot tubs
- A mini bowling alley
- Live music
- Golf cart rentals
- And more
All this is rounded out by spacious, well-maintained sites with full hookups and gorgeous views.
2. Lost River Valley Campground
Nestled in the White Mountains of New Hampshire you’ll find Lost River Valley Campground, a gorgeous mountain campground with fishing on site.
The park is surrounded on three sides by national forests, with picturesque views everywhere you look. The campground is set between the Lost River and Walker Brook, where you can fish for brook trout and more. The Lost River is even stocked by the state’s fish and game department.
The campground itself offers a variety of full and partial hookup sites, with options for wooded, mountain views, and brookfront sites.
In addition to the river and brook running through the campground, it also features a swimming pond, recreation areas, a sports court, an arcade, and more.
3. Albert’s Landing
Sitting on the banks of the Coeur d’Alene River’s north fork is Albert’s Landing, a truly gorgeous campground with fishing and much more.
The campground features over 900 feet of riverfrontage, and you can fly fish right from the campground’s shores. The campground also has a boat launch, so you can hit the water yourself to do some fishing on the water.
Besides fishing, the campground offers a camp store, plus kayak and tube rentals. They also offer a shuttle to other locations along the river.
4. Yogi Bears Guadalupe River
If you’re looking for a family-friendly campground with fishing, it’s hard to do better than Texas’s Yogi Bear’s Guadalupe River.
This campground features fishing on-site right on the Guadalupe River (fishing license required). But, that’s far from all that this great campground has to offer.
The campground features a water playground, outdoor swimming pool, indoor pool and hot tub, and water slides, for plenty of aquatic fun. You’ll also find mini golf, gem mining, laser tag, and arcade, so little ones will never be bored.
And this is only scratching the surface of this campground’s extensive amenities, which also include a variety of sports, activities, and even hay rides!
5. Bear Run Campground
Bear Run Campground offers fishing and much more in the peaceful forests of western Pennsylvania.
This is a campground with fishing on-site thanks to its trout-stocked fishing pond. You can also head out to nearby Lake Arthur (just 900 yards from the campground), where you can catch largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, walleye, and more.
The campground also rents kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards that you can take out on the lake.
Bear Run Campground also features a heated pool, a playground, and a variety of sports including GagGa ball and basketball. The campground also hosts a variety of events, like pig roasts and parties.
6. Van Hook Resort
Van Hook Resort isn’t just a campground with fishing: it’s a campground devoted to fishing. This North Dakota campground is located on the shores of Lake Sakakwea.
Here, you can find unparalleled walleye fishing, as well as catch catfish, smallmouth bass, and northern pike.
The park also features beaches, basketball & volleyball courts, pickleball, playgrounds, a bait and tackle shop, and more.
7. Gull Lake Recreation Area
The Gull Lake Recreation Area is a state-run recreation area and campground with great fishing and plenty more.
There, you can fish in Minnesota’s famous Gull Lake and catch walleye, black crappie, largemouth bass, bluegill, and more. The campground also has a variety of wildlife to see, including bald eagles, white-tailed deer, and loons. Other things to do include hiking, biking, and tubing.
The campground offers sites with electrical hookups, a dump station, fish cleaning stations, and showers. There’s also a playground for the kids, as well as a horseshoe pit.
8. Jordanelle State Park
Utah’s Jordanelle State Park is a beautiful campground with fishing on the shores of the Jordanelle Reservoir. There, you can hit the water in your boat and fish for big brown and rainbow trout, kokanee salmon, largemouth bass, and perch.
Besides fishing, the park offers boating, hiking, and picnicking, plus tons of scenic views. RV sites have partial hookups with power and water, and there is a dump station on-site as well as restroom and shower facilities.
To learn about the area, you can head to the Rock Cliff Nature Center for an educational afternoon.
9. Lake Scott State Park
Lake Scott State Park is more than just a campground with fishing. It’s also a historic site with over 26 documented archeological sites, including the remains of a Native American pueblo, El Cuartelejo.
At Lake Scott State Park, you can fish the Scott State Fishing Lake and catch catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, and more.
When you’re not fishing, you can enjoy hiking through natural springs, wooded canyons, and craggy bluffs. A variety of animals can be seen in the area, including wild turkeys and deer.
6 Best Campgrounds with Saltwater Fishing Nearby
Now let’s look at the 6 best campgrounds with saltwater fishing.
10. Antelope Island Campground
Saltwater fishing from an island… miles away from the ocean? It may sound strange, but at Antelope Island Campground, that’s just what you can do.
This campground with fishing sits on the Great Salt Lake’s largest island, reached by a narrow 7-mile road from the mainland. While the Great Salt Lake isn’t best known for fishing, you can still catch a variety of fish, like cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and carp.
At this campground, you can also enjoy biking, saltwater bathing, and wildlife viewing. Most notably, the park is home to a herd of 500 bison, as well as bighorn sheep, mule deer, and more.
11. Cedar Creek Campground
Cedar Creek Campground is an awesome family-friendly campground with fishing that’s just minutes by bike from Barnegat Bay.
On the bay, you can catch a variety of fish, from flounder to bluefish to striped bass and more. Besides fishing, though, the campground and surrounding areas have plenty to see and do.
As you might guess based on the name, the campground borders Cedar Creek. There, you can enjoy kayaking and canoeing, with the campground offering equipment rentals.
Even better, because you can go straight from the creek to the campground, there’s no waiting for a van or bus to pick you up. Simply go straight to your campsite to clean off and warm up.
That campground itself features an Olympic-sized swimming pool with double water slides for summer fun. At the campground, you’ll also find a well-stocked camp store and gift shop, a pizza cafe and ice cream shop, and a lodge with a library, board games, and arcade games.
12. Bodega Bay RV Park
Off Highway One on the Pacific coast in California, you’ll find Bodega Bay RV Park. This campground with fishing offers the perfect experience for saltwater anglers and nature lovers alike.
The park is just a short drive to Bodega Bay. There, you can catch rockfish, chinook salmon, halibut, and much more. The area also offers horse and hiking trails, beaches, and wineries to enjoy. From January to April, you can even enjoy whale watching in the bay.
At the campground itself, you’ll find amenities like a putting green, bocce ball, and a restaurant on site. There are a variety of full and partial hookup sites, both pull-through and back-in.
13. Hoquiam River RV Park
Hoquiam River RV Park is a highly rated Good Sam member park in Washington state with beautiful views and great fishing.
The campground sits on the shores of the Hoquiam River, where you can try your luck at catching trout, salmon, pike, and more.
For saltwater fishing, you can head to Grays Harbor and hit the water to fish for tuna, halibut, rockfish, and more. For even more fishing, you can head to Lake Quinault, where you can catch bass, crappie, bluegill, and trout.
In addition to fishing, the park has a nine-acre forest area with walking trails, where you can see a variety of animals including deer, porcupines, foxes, and more. The park also has horseshoe pits, laundry and shower facilities, and a rec hall with a full-service kitchen.
14. KOA Myrtle Beach RV Resort
Myrtle Beach is one of the South’s best beach destinations, and KOA Myrtle Beach RV Resort is its best campground with fishing.
Despite being right in the heart of the city, the campground is tranquil, surrounded on all sides by old-growth pines. The campground features a pool, splash pad, gaga ball, outdoor cinema, and the all-ages “worm train.” There’s also fishing available on site.
For saltwater fishing, you’re just a short distance from the Atlantic. The city has 5 fishing piers, and there are a variety of companies that charter boats for fishing trips as well.
15. Raccoon River Camping
Located in one of the nation’s most legendary spring break destinations, Panama City’s Raccoon River Campground is one of Florida’s best campgrounds with fishing.
The campground has 2 swimming pools, laundry facilities, and on-site fishing with no license required.
For fishing, you can head out to any of the many piers in the area, and catch a huge variety of fish. Some potential catches include redfish, cobia, mackerel, pompano, and more. The city also has tons of charter companies so you can do some fishing out on the water.
There’s plenty to do nearby as well, including mini golf, the Shipwreck Island Water Park, and a huge variety of great restaurants and bars.
Do You Need A Fishing License To Fish At A Campground?
In most cases, no, you don’t need a fishing license to fish at a campground. If the fishing pond is fully contained within the campground and you are a guest there, then you should be able to fish without a license.
However, keep in mind this will usually be limited to catch and release.
If there is a natural body of water at or passing through the campground, this is a different story. In cases like these, you’ll likely need a fishing license before you can fish. If in doubt, your best bet is to contact the campground management directly.
If you’re fishing away from the campground proper, of course, it’s a different story. In basically every such case, you’ll need some kind of fishing license from the relevant local authority.
Can You Fish Any Time Of The Year?
Different areas will have different seasons for different species of fish. This can make the question of if you can fish all year a bit complicated.
Some species of fish can legally be caught any time of year you can find them, while others are restricted to specific dates.
Your best resources here are fish and wildlife services, both the national FWS and state-level organizations. You can check their websites to find up-to-date information on what fish you can catch, and when. Plus, you can also find out about the size and catch limits.
Is It Safe To Fish In Bear Country?
Fishing in Bear Country? Then you’ll need to be prepared. The good news is, as long as you follow good bear-aware practices, you’ll be perfectly safe.
If you’ll be in bear country, carry bear spray with you everywhere you go, and avoid going out solo if at all possible. Make sure others know your trip plans and stay alert while you’re out. Try your best to make noise so bears will know your presence before they see you.
Be sure to keep anything that could attract bears secured and safely stored, possibly in a bear-resistant container. As you catch fish, keep them on a stringer rather than leaving them on the bank, and keep a close eye on them.
Ideally, wait until you’re home to clean the fish, as this can also attract bears.
If a bear does approach you while fishing, cut or give slack to the line to stop the fish from splashing, which can attract bears. If a bear attempts to take your fish, throw it back into the current, and keep your bear spray at the ready.
In certain times of year, such as during salmon runs, bears are a more common sight. If you’re fishing at times like these, be sure to be extra cautious.
Final Thoughts About RV Campgrounds With Fishing Nearby
There’s no shortage of RV campgrounds with fishing nearby. Whether you’re looking for freshwater or saltwater fishing, we’ve got you covered with our list of 15 amazing options.
So grab your gear, make sure you’ve got your fishing license (if needed), and hit the water to try your luck!
Related Reading:
– 10 Best Polarized Sunglasses For Fishing
– 5 Best Fish House RVs For Ice Fishing
– 15 Clearest Lakes In The US And Canada
– When Do Campgrounds Open And Close For The Season?
Ryan Milejczak – Author and Part-Time RVer
Ryan Milejczak (mill-LAY-check) is a full-time freelancer writer and Florida native with a passion for RVs.
Ryan has been writing about RVing and sustainable living for the past 3 years while traveling.
Currently, he’s saving up to do his own camper van conversion, which he plans to take across the US and Mexico.
When he’s not writing, Ryan loves cooking, hiking, practicing his Spanish, and taking care of his plants (currently at 23 plants and counting!)
