rw wrote:
ObROFF:

Some western US states have liberal stream-access laws -- Montana and
Idaho in particular, in my experience. If you stay below the high-water
mark you're legal. Some landowners on trout streams don't like this. Tough.

In other western US states, like Colorado (the only one I'm sure of),
trespassing and stream-access laws are far more in the landowners'
interest. The landowner doesn't have to post and he owns the stream, as
I understand it. You can get arrested, fined, lose your hunting and
fishing rights in neighboring states, and even go to prison for
misreading a map.

As a fisherman and hunter, I far prefer laws that require posting, and I
far prefer liberal stream access. Duh!


good points- in Pa. all streams are owned by the commonwealth- it is
illegal for a landowner to dam or redirect or privately stock a stream
anywhere in Pa.- but the landowner retains rights on the land along the
stream- so if it's posted, you can't fish it- UNLESS you have hip boots
or chest waders, and walk IN the stream at all times- this is ok for
small streams, but larger rivers forget it- eventually the water is
just too deep or raging to walk in the stream at all times