The best fishing spots in America

In upstate New York (way upstate), on the eastern edge of Lake Ontario in the St. Lawrence River, you'll find over 1,800 tiny islands and countless freshwater fish. During the region's mild summers, it’s effortless to spend a full day on the water reeling in bass, salmon, walleye, northern pike and muskellunge. Even novice anglers can get lucky here, especially on one of the popular guided tours. Only confident, experienced fishers should attempt to catch the massive muskies known to be as long as 5ft.

When to go: May through October, with spring and fall being prime seasons

Best for: Bass, northern pike, walleye, muskellunge

Time Out tip: Book a guided charter and they’ll supply tackle, bait, and insider knowledge

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A favorite spot in Northern California and Nevada for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer, Lake Tahoe is also an excellent fishing experience. Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America and the second deepest, with majestic blue waters. During the warm months, anglers come to catch Kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout and mackinaw, always limiting their catches to five fish in total (limit of two mackinaws per fisher) to maintain the healthy fishery.

When to go: Late spring through summer for kokanee; spring/early summer is best for trout; fall is good for trout and bass

Best for: Kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout, mackinaw, bass

Time Out tip: BYO boat or charter—koke are mid‑lake only; avoid busy summer weekends if you want solitude  

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Though this 1,450-mile-long river spans much further than Colorado, winding through Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California and Mexico, some of the best fishing can be found near its beginnings in the Rocky Mountains. Flyfishers should aim to reach the upper Colorado River in June when the salmonfly (a giant stonefly species) hatches en masse and attracts plenty of big trout. Sign up for a trip with a local guide who can show you the best spots to wade or steer your boat.

When to go: Spring to early summer; prime is mid‑June to early August

Best for: Brown and rainbow trout via fly-fishing

Time Out tip: Sign up with a local guide—June’s salmonfly hatches make wading or boat days exceptional

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While there are several lakes in Texas where you might be able to reel in a 20-lb trophy largemouth bass, Lake Austin boasts the added convenience of being in one of the Southwest’s coolest cities. A lower part of the Colorado River, this reservoir was formed originally in 1939 and has since become a primary attraction in the Texan city. During the summer, fish at night to avoid the recreational boaters.

When to go: Spring is prime for bass; summer nights are recommended to avoid crowds

Best for: Trophy largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish

Time Out tip: Fish at night in summer to beat the recreational boating chaos

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For fly fishing enthusiasts, this large river is considered a must-visit. While access to the river is limited, with much of the water flowing through private property and Crow Tribal lands, the public access fishing spots are worth braving the crowds for. With strict limits on catches to maintain the quality of the fisheries, most sports fishermen catch and release the trouts, trying new techniques and artificial flies as they go. The river is mostly home to brown trout, but prized rainbows can also be caught.

When to go: May through July; prime nymphing and dry fly season is June–August, especially late June–July

Best for: Brown trout, rainbow trout via fly-fishing

Time Out tip: Go with a guide during late June—perfect hatches of PMDs, caddis, and hopper seasons

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Off the southern coast of the Sunshine State is a fisherman’s paradise. Those recreational anglers hoping to catch bonefish, permit, redfish, snook or tarpon should head to the "backcountry," the waters between the Keys and Florida’s mainland. The real draw for most visitors, however, is the deep seas of the Atlantic Ocean, caught in the warm Gulf Stream. Charter a boat in these waters to catch some of the most sought-after fish in the world, like blue and white marlin, sailfish and swordfish.

When to go: Best in spring for permit, tarpon, bonefish; peak in June for tarpon and bonefish, backcountry year-round

Best for: Bonefish, permit, redfish, snook, tarpon; offshore marlin and sailfish

Time Out tip: Charter a flats or offshore boat—reserve early in spring for a “Grand Slam”; BYO fly rod for backcountry flats

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This is fishing that feels like a stealth mission. Tucked into a maze of mangroves and winding brackish backwaters, the Everglades offer some of the most diverse angling in America. One minute you’re hooking snook in a no-name channel, the next you’re watching tarpon roll in a sunrise-glassed bay. The beauty here isn’t just the fish—it’s the silence, the gators, the osprey overhead, the reminder that you’re very much in their world.

When to go: Fall through spring, when water temps and mosquito levels are bearable

Best for: Snook, redfish, tarpon, sea trout

Time Out tip: Bring your own gear if you’re paddling, or book a flats skiff for max range—just don’t forget the bug spray

At 43 miles long, Lake Pend Oreille is Idaho's largest and deepest lake. In terms of fishing, it's well known for a species of giant rainbow trout, mackinaw, and kokanee salmon. Anglers usually come away satisfied from a day on the lake, which has seen fish increase in recent years. It's not impossible to catch kamloops and mackinaw that are more than 20 pounds.

When to go: Spring through fall; ice fishing in winter near outlets

Best for: Kamloops rainbow trout, mackinaw, kokanee, lake trout

Time Out tip: Bring or rent heavy gear—trolling for big trout is best mid-summer; fishing licenses required for youth

There’s something almost eerie about Devils Lake, with its skeletal trees rising from the water and ghost towns sunk beneath the surface. But for anglers, it’s heaven. North Dakota’s largest natural body of water has been creeping outward for decades, swallowing farmland and barns, but it’s also created endless shallow bays and structure for fish to thrive. Locals ice-fish it like a religion, but spring and fall bring in walleye chasers from around the country, hoping to land a 10-pounder on a jig just off the weeds.

When to go: Ice fishing peaks in January and February; open water is best May through June and September through early November

Best for: Walleye, perch, northern pike, white bass

Time Out tip: Hire a guide if you’re new—especially in winter when mobility and gear can make or break your day

One of New England’s most scenic seaside destinations is also a fantastic island for reeling in fish. For some serious catching, gather some family or friends and organize an expedition on a charter boat to chase after bonito and false albacore (known locally as albies). Feeling the local vibe? Stick to surfcasting. Grab a pole, or rent one, and find a good spot on the sandy beach or a rocky shore around sundown and you’ll be pulling in striped bass in no time.

When to go: Mid‑May to mid‑October; striped bass and bluefish are strongest late spring through fall

Best for: Striped bass, bluefish, bonito, false albacore

Time Out tip: Charter during derby season; otherwise surfcast at dawn or dusk—rentals are available on-island

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The largest river in the Pacific Northwest is also home to some of the region’s largest smallmouth bass, salmon, sturgeons and steelheads (rainbow trout). While you can get bites all year round, spring and summer are ideal times to find trophy-worthy catches. The rough, often crowded waters are best navigated on a boat by experienced anglers, but even novices can enjoy "plucking" with a rod from the river’s beaches and sand bars.

When to go: Salmon and steelhead April–October; steelhead also Jan–Mar and Aug–Dec; spring and summer are prime for bass and salmon

Best for: Salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, smallmouth bass

Time Out tip: Check current regs before you go; boat access is ideal, but bank-fishing from beaches and sandbars is great for first-timers

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Roughly 25 percent of all U.S. wetlands are in Beaufort County, South Carolina. That is a lot of potential fishing spots—overall, there are more than 234,000 acres of open water, sounds, marshes, and estuaries. The Beaufort River—which connects the cities of Beaufort and Port Royal, South Carolina—is a hotspot for fishers. Here, you'll have the potential to hook trout, redfish, flounder and cobia, a large, predatory fish in the Atlantic Ocean.

When to go: Fall, when redfish, trout, and flounder are active

Best for: Redfish, trout, flounder, cobia

Time Out tip: Time your trip with incoming tides in the fall; flats or backwater charters make sight-fishing easier

The brackish water of the Chesapeake Bay is not only the perfect habitat for those world-famous Maryland crabs but one of the best fishing spots you’ll find on the East Coast. Over 70 percent of the striped bass from the Atlantic Coast are born in the bay and its 150-plus tributary rivers. In addition to the striped bass—known locally as rockfish—anglers can catch bluefish, drum, speckled trout, flounder and croaker.

When to go: Spring peak for striped bass in May; other species are active through summer and fall

Best for: Striped bass, bluefish, drum, speckled trout, flounder, croaker

Time Out tip: May charters book fast for trophy stripers; follow slot limits and check seasonal closures

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Boasting warm weather year-round, Northern California’s climate is ideal for catching fish whenever the mood strikes. In this river and estuary, also known as the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, anglers cast their lines from river banks, piers, and boats, ready to catch striped bass, sturgeon, catfish, black bass, and salmon. Popular competitive derbies bring hundreds of boats to the area and the spectacle is quite the sight to behold.

When to go: Year-round fishing, but spring and fall are best for striped bass runs

Best for: Striped bass, sturgeon, catfish, black bass, salmon

Time Out tip: Join a derby in spring or fall; BYO gear for piers or book a sturgeon charter if you want something huge

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Easily the sportfishing capital of Hawai‘i, the waters off the Kona district of the Big Island’s western shore are calm like a lake, but full of thrills for anglers. Here, deep-sea fishing stays true to its name, with the depth just a few miles outside of the harbor bottoming out at 6,000 feet. Tuna, mahi mahi and ono are caught daily aboard charter boats, as well as sharks and big-game bottom fish—just don’t let the breathtaking views distract you from the task at hand.

When to go: Late spring through September; blue marlin peaks June–September

Best for: Tuna, mahi mahi, ono, marlin, sharks, bottomfish

Time Out tip: Charter a deep-sea vessel—May through September brings the most action; tournaments and boats book out fast

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