Boat and Shore Fishing Access — Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the map not available?

Answer: The web map server might be down temporarily.

What is a Shore Fishing Site?

Answer: Developed shore fishing sitess are specifically created sites where the public can go fishing without a boat. They include fishing piers, flat fishing spots on the shoreline, and shoreline fishing trails with multiple fishing stations. Each facility is designed to be accessible by those with disabilities, but can be used by all anglers.

Who can use these boat access and shore fishing sites?

Answer: The general public has access to these sites. A fee may be required to launch a boat from some of these locations.

Are these all of the boat access or shore fishing sites in the state?

Answer: No. These are only the sites that DNR Field Staff have identified and provided information for (see "verified" below). Private boat access and shore fishing sites are not being displayed on this site at this time.

Why can’t I see the boat access site that I launched my boat from, or the shore fishing site I visitied?

Answer: At this time, not all boat access and shore fishing sites have been verified by field staff. This is an ongoing process and hopefully shortly the majority of the public sites throughout the state will be displayed along with basic information for them.

What does "verified" mean?

Answer: "Verified" is a term meaning that a DNR Field Staff has looked at this location on a map and determined that it was located correctly as well as providing some basic information about the site (restrooms, launch lanes, etc.).

Why do the white circles disappear once I zoom in?

Answer: The white circles represent boat access sites that have not been verified. At this time these sites are only displayed to provide the user with a general idea of where the site is located. Since it has not been verified, the exact location is not known. Once these sites have been verified by the DNR Field Staff, they will not disappear.

How can I see air photos/topographic information - or how do I use them?

Answer: Click on the Layers tab - Click Images and check the box next to Digital Ortho Photos or Digital Topo Quads.

How do I see additional detail?

Answer: Click Zoom In button and then click the map. The more you click on the map (zoom) the more additional information you will see.

I see coordinate positions reported on the map system, can I use these with my GPS?

Answer: The accuracy of these lat/long, utm, or wtm coordinates is unknown. While we have generally found it to be quite good, we do not consider it to be an appropriate tool for, say, collecting lat/long coordinates and incorporating them into a database. These coordinates are generated "on-the-fly" by the application. You must be aware of how your GPS collects, stores and displays data.