How to Find Public Fishing Access in the Midwest

Much of the highest quality, most productive fishing around the United States can be reached via public access. Whether you’re a boat owner using public boat ramps to chase bass or a wade fisherman using public lands adjacent to water in the hope of getting the kids out for panfish, most of us utilize public access fishing points often throughout the fishing season. 

Why Public Access Matters for Midwest Anglers

Public access ensures anglers from all backgrounds and skill levels have access to outdoor opportunities on the water. Many active, lifelong anglers likely spent their first fishing day on a public-access lake or river with a family member, getting their first taste of life on the water. For some of us, the love of fishing stuck and has become a key part of our lives. 

At its core, public access to various lakes, rivers, and creeks helps connect us all with valuable time outside—something we could all use a bit more of these days. It also encourages awareness of the Midwest’s diverse fisheries, from rivers and lakes to national wildlife refuges, supporting conservation and sustainable fishing practices.

Public vs. Private Fishing Rights

Across the Midwest, public access fishing rights typically extend to navigable waters, which means the public can fish in those waters as long as they have public access and follow the given state’s regulations. These public access points—either boat ramps or walk-in locations—often support other waterborne activities as well, such as boating or swimming.

In contrast, private fishing access rights mean an individual or company owns the access to a waterway. This may be as simple as someone owning so many feet along the shoreline of a lake, and therefore not allowing anglers to walk on their shore as they fish the lake. Sometimes lakes are entirely surrounded by privately-held land, rendering the lake effectively private. Always ensure you are accessing your target water legally and respecting those private land boundaries (they’re easy to find within the onX Fish Midwest App).

Benefits of Public Access

Make the most of public access by not only exploring near busy boat ramps and popular walk-in spots, but also by finding new water access on public land. When it’s peak summer season and everything is busy, discovering a new, remote access can lead to a wonderful day of solace on the water. Public access is an opportunity to explore, and there’s no better way to kick off your exploration that by finding a new target lake in onX Fish Midwest.

Public access sites are often free or charge a small, nominal fee for upkeep and maintenance. The low cost is typically far cheaper than paying for private water access, and the breadth of public access means it can be more convenient as well.

How to Find Public Fishing Spots You Might Overlook

It can be easy to fall into familiar patterns and only fish spots you know and love. And there’s nothing wrong with that… but you might be missing out on a whole lot of opportunities. By doing a bit of research, both within the onX Fish Midwest App and boots-on-the-ground (or boots-on-the-boat, as it were) you can find new public access fishing spots close to home. And you never know—one of them might become your new favorite go-to.

Using Maps and Fishing Apps (onX Fish) to Locate Hidden Gems

The onX Fish Midwest App comes from a family of apps designed to help people who love the outdoors find new places to experience their favorite things. The App can help you find public fishing access points by showing you clearly-marked public and private land boundaries, as well as detailed lake maps with access points, boat ramps, and parking areas. You can also filter lakes by species, boat launch type, surface type, amenities, and lake size to find the best spots for your fishing wants and needs. It’s also easy to download maps for offline use, in case your preferred target spot lies outside of cell phone coverage. And if you’re exploring via your vehicle, the App connects to Apple CarPlay for hands-free navigation to access sites and Waypoints. 

What to Look For 

When you’re on the hunt for new public water access, there are a few key things you should keep an eye out for. First off is state, federal, county, or tax-forfeit lands if you’re fishing from shore. Additionally, if you’re on foot, look for parking lots adjacent or close to water, or trailheads that will lead you to your target fishing spot.  (The onX Fish Midwest App has all these marked right in the App.) If you’re hitting the lake with a boat or other watercraft, look for public boat ramps listed visually in onX Fish Midwest or as part of the lake card.  You’ll be surprised at the access opportunities once you start looking.

Tips For Finding Off-the-Beaten-Path Public Access 

Looking to dodge the summer crowds and get away for some peace and quiet? We recently talked about how to find quality fishing spots right from the bank, and many of these ideas hold whether you’re fishing from the shoreline or in a boat. onX Fish Midwest is the best way to find out-of-the-way yet publicly accessible fishing spots. The Private Land Layer is available to paid subscribers and shows where both private land and public land surround every body of water. Taking the time to explore the shores of lakes near you may open your eyes to new opportunities and access points. 

Pull Quote: You might be new to the area or visiting on vacation and have no idea where a good place to fish is. What’s the best way to find high-probability bank fishing spots? Use the OnX Fish App to find these key characteristics of a successful location. 

How onX Fish Helps You Discover Hidden Public Fishing Areas

As we talked about above, onX Fish Midwest was designed to help anglers find new waters to fish, and to better understand their old favorites. By finding several public access points, doing your research in the app to ensure they meet your criteria, and then dropping Waypoints to ensure that research is easy to access when you’re on the water, you’re setting yourself up for success before you even hit the water. 

View Public Land and Water Access Points

The App includes clearly-marked public / private land boundaries and public water access points, making it easy for anglers to identify potential access points they may want to explore. 

Research

Any angler worth their salt knows and understands the importance of research. Just like we wouldn’t head out to fish a lake without knowing what lures or bait we’re packing along, we take the time to understand what species a target lake holds and where the productive spots might be. onX Fish Midwest allows you to filter lakes to quickly find waterbodies matching your specific criteria, be it fish species, boat launch type, lake size, amenities, or more. 

Waypoints

Drop Waypoints within the App as you research, marking boat ramps or access points you’d like to explore. Once you’re on the water, Waypoints can be used to mark productive holes, promising structure, or that one spot you found that trophy bass (and which you might want to revisit again). Waypoints are also a handy way to mark where you left the truck, and it’s easy to add icons, custom colors, notes, and even images to your Waypoints on the map. 

However you choose to approach your fishing day—by researching and meticulously planning ahead before you even jump in the truck, or by grabbing a cup of coffee and driving around until you find access which looks promising—onX Fish Midwest is here to help you make the most of your days on the water. Find and explore new places to fish, especially in the busy summer months, and enjoy getting out with friends and family (and maybe even going on a mission to catch dinner).