The Boone Area is widely known for great fly fishing and angling on lakes and streams. On the Parkway itself, more than 100 miles of pristine streams let you match wits with rainbow, brown, and native brook trout. No special trout stamp is required and only artificial lures with a single hook are allowed. The Parkway encourages catch and release fishing: no barbed hooks. Thirteen lakes along the Parkway, from ponds to sizeable bodies of water, contain bream and smallmouth bass.

At the Boone area’s Price Lake in Blowing Rock (photo at right), the Parkway’s largest lake, anglers can buy bait at the lakeshore concession facility, rent fishing tackle, and boats, including canoes, rowboats, and new for 2013, kayaks.

Nearby Moses Cone Park contains popular fishing spots Trout Lake and Bass Lake (check out the Bass Lake trail guide).

Fishing in Parkway waters requires a fishing license for the state you are fishing in (under 16, no license needed). Licenses are easily available online, from North Carolina at  www.ncwildlife.org/pg01_License/pg1a.asp

More specific regulations are often posted at the angling site, such as along the Linville River near the Linville Falls Visitor Center (turn at Milepost 316.4). Don’t fish from bridges, dams, or walls. Swimming is not permitted in Parkway waters.

Explore More

Basics of the Parkway

Camping on the Parkway

Climb the Highest Peaks by Car

Hiking on the Parkway

Just for Kids

Linn Cove Viaduct

Nature on the Parkway

Picnic on the Parkway

Visitor Centers and Cabins

Dive into our Interactive Map!

Zoom in close on the map below (use the plus sign and directional arrows at upper left, or repeatedly double click near, but not on, the map symbols). You can literally see the parking lots for Parkway destinations in this guide. Click any map symbol and information packed balloons pop up to describe locations all along the route. In the map balloons, click "Directions" to add your address and get step-by-step directions to Parkway locations from wherever you are. Start in the north, follow the road south, for a local's introduction to your own Boone-area Parkway adventure.