Popular Fishing Excursions
Grab your favorite fishing poles, pack the cooler, and bring your friends: time for a fishing trip! There is nothing quite like getting out on the water with some buddies and pursuing that year’s most coveted catch.
Some of the best fishing spots are best explored with a local fishing guide. Investing in a fishing guide can make the trip easier and more fruitful. Regardless of whether you are booking with a fishing company or going it alone, do some research before the trip to learn more about the chosen fishing area and its best practices. Figure out what kind of fish you are most interested in catching. From salmon to tuna, Pacific cod to perch, there is a place for every fisher to find, and reel in, their prized catch.
Key West
Head to this fishing hotspot and be prepared for some memorable time on the water. Due to the popularity of fishing in the Keys, fishers will have their pick of guides and charters. The fun doesn’t stop once the boat is docked. Enjoy delicious eateries and late-night bars on the famous Duval Street. Bonus: it’s fun to fish here year-round due to the warm winters! The water is a little more rough, but locals will know how to navigate.
Katmai National Park and Reserve
Prepare for Alaska’s wild landscape to take your breath away. Fishing for Alaskan wild salmon is special because the salmon there are not stocked. Each year, salmon swim from the Bering Sea to Naknek Lake via many small streams. Summer is the best time of year to head to Katmai National Park and Reserve for a salmon fishing trip.
Bonus tip: head to the Alaskan coast, just southeast of Katmai National Park and Reserve, to try your hand at deep-sea fishing for Pacific cod!
Prince Edward Island/Nova Scotia
Fishers looking for a sizable bluefin tuna should book a trip to Canada’s southeastern shores. There are multiple accounts of bluefin tuna weighing over 1,000 pounds in these waters, with many others weighing over 800 pounds. These trips are perfect for fishers who want a real fight for their catch. Be mindful: this is a catch-and-release area, but boats are allowed to keep one or two fish throughout the season.
Midwestern Great Lakes
Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, or Lake Superior were actually restocked with Pacific salmon in the aftermath of World War II. The great lakes are rife with other kinds of wild salmon, as well. Fishers looking for Lake trout, perch, Steelhead, walleye, or Northern Pike will find success in the Great Lakes, and states like Wisconsin and Michigan also have a plethora of inland lakes and rivers that boast great fishing opportunities.