The United States offers myriad fishing towns for avid anglers. It is considered one of the best countries for fishing thanks to the diverse topography and climate, numerous inland water bodies, two extended coastal lines, and, of course, developed fishing culture and communities.
Oftentimes, beginner anglers and adventurous outlanders seeking ace-high fishing spots can’t pick one from such an embarrassment of riches the U.S. provides. Well, we’re going to make it easier for you. You will need fishing license to do fishing in USA
We asked our friends from this outdoor store to write about the best fishing villages in the USA from where you can start exploring the wealth of our country. If you want to upgrade your equipment, don’t forget to check for the best fishing gear from reputable brands.
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Colorado provides one of the best fishing in the U.S. Thanks to the diverse geography, encompassing mountains, desert canyons, vast plains, and desert lands, the state boasts over 40 warm- and cold-water fish species.
Though Colorado has numerous beautiful fishing towns, like Durango, sitting beside the Animals River, or Gunnison, located near North America’s deepest canyons, we here want to tell you about the fishing treasure of the Centennial State – Glenwood Springs.
Glenwood Springs is a relatively small town (10,000 dwellers) located in the midwest of Colorado. Nevertheless, it’s considered not only the hub of Colorado fishing but also one of the best fishing towns in the U.S.
Glenwood Springs is peculiar for hosting the confluence of the Colorado River and the Roaring Fork River trending along the narrow mountain valleys. And all this is right in the middle of the town. Rocky terrain with elevation drops provides excellent opportunities for world-class, year-round fly fishing, with season peaks from June (when the salmon fly begins hatching) through September.
The easy-to-access banks of the Colorado River welcome avid trout hunters since the river hosts stable communities of brown, cutthroat, and rainbow trout, supported by the Glenwood Springs Hatchery, which raises about 300,000 individuals of rainbow trout and 500,000 cutthroat trout annually.
You can also try your luck with the mountain whitefish, which is one of only two salmonids native to Colorado. The Roaring Fork River has one of the most enormous whitefish individuals. If you want the best fly fishing in the U.S., Glenwood Springs, Colorado, should be your primary destination.
Apalachicola, Florida
The Sunshine State is known for being a fisherman’s paradise. Diverse habitats where you can try all kinds of fishing techniques, a warm climate that makes fish more active, dozens of species, and excellent management are compounds of a fantastic fishing destination.
In the context of Florida fishing, you may have heard about the Florida Keys, Destin, and Panama City Beach. But the state also has more secluded fishing places, like Apalachicola, located on Apalachicola Bay, at the mouth of the Apalachicola River.
In the 19th century, Apalachicola fishing towns were at the heart of the Florida oyster and shrimp production scene – more than 90% of all Florida oysters were harvested there. Though the oyster industry regressed during the past years, the place is still considered a recreational fishing hotspot.
Apalachicola Bay hosts more than a hundred fish species, including redfish and sea trout abundant in the flats and bridges, sheepshead, flounder, and black drum. During the summer, the bay is visited by Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, tripletail, and many others. The lower Apalachicola River schools striped and sunshine bass stocked by FWC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service annually.
Jasper, Texas
That’s a shame that Texas rarely makes the list of the best places for fishing. Its strong angling culture and numerous freshwater bodies are among the best.
Though it has only one natural lake, Caddo Lake, you shouldn’t discriminate against reservoirs simply because they are artificial. The fishing there is the same quality as anywhere else.
Jasper is fortunate to neighbour the two premier largemouth bass waters – Sam Rayburn Reservoir and Toledo Bend Reservoir, each easily hit in a day trip.
Big Sam boasts massive terrestrial vegetation, which provides cover and food to the fry. That’s a foundation for building a stable and healthy largemouth bass community, which does exist in Rayburn. The lake also presents excellent year-round catfish and crappie fisheries.
Toledo Bend Reservoir is known for being a largemouth bass hub. However, your odds of catching a trophy blue catfish and flathead catfish are also high.
Kenai, Alaska
Alaska justly tops the list for top fishing states, and while Florida can be described as a south fisherman’s paradise, Alaska is a north one. The state’s waters host 600 fish species, and there are millions of lakes and thousands of rivers to explore. Impressive, agree?
It was rather hard to pick one of the fishing towns, choosing between Kodiak, peculiar for a remote fishing experience, Homer, the halibut capital of the world, Bristol Bay, and so on. But we decided on Kenai, a coastal city sitting at the mouth of the Kenai River, the most heavily-fished river in Alaska.
First, the Lower Kenai boasts the best king salmon fishery and has been keeping the world’s record for the king weighing at 97lbs 4oz since 1985. The region is also known for its excellent sockeye, or red, salmon fishery. The best time for catching both species is summer.
Holland, Michigan
The Great Lakes State couldn’t but make our list. The region of the Great Lakes provides world-class fishery thanks to flourishing biodiversity and advanced management.
Holland, the former Dutch settlement, sits on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan near Lake Macatawa. Due to being situated near the two lakes differing vastly in size, the fishing towns offer some unique and diverse angling opportunities.
Lake Michigan provides one of the best trout fishing in the USA – anglers target steelhead, brown, and lake trout. Salmon is also abundant there. Chinook salmon prefers cooler water and low-light conditions, so the best chance to catch that fish is in deep water or at the surface at dawn or dusk. Surf fishermen and trolling anglers can try their luck with coho salmon.
Though salmon and trout are primary species in the Holland fishery, you can target bass on Lake Macatawa. Largemouth, smallmouth, and white bass are present in the lake but are somewhat challenging to fish.
Also Read:
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Things You Need To Keep In Mind When Planning A Fishing Trip
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