10 Best Saltwater Fishing Spots in the U.S.

 

If there is something the United States can be really proud of, it’s the country’s abundance of saltwater fishing destinations that will make any angler appreciate being an American.

 

Florida

 

Some of the best fishing spots in the U.S. are scattered across the state of Florida. Here are just a few that make anglers partial to this coastal state.

 

1. Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach in Florida has carved a niche in saltwater fishing for all kinds of targets. The most popular activity is deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Seasoned fishers can also get satisfactory productivity from focusing on the piers around the beach as well as St. Andrew Bay. They can also cast a line straight from the shore.

You can also try bay fishing or simply test the local freshwater lake or river. There are so many saltwater and freshwater fishing locations for both beginners and pros in Panama City Beach. You have well over 20 miles of shoreline to explore. Choose one of the local piers from which to cast a line or a spot to hurl out in the surf.

Big fish will still be available for the picking even if you have no boat. Angling along the shoreline anytime of the year gives you the opportunity to aim for a huge catch of Bonito, Whiting, Flounder, Redfish, and Pompano, among many others.

For shoreline fishing, you can opt for a light rod or a 12-inch surf rod. The choice will depend pretty much on the kind of target you have in mind as well as the distance from the shore you intend to cast from. To cast your line in the fish zone along the beach or from the piers, an 8-foot or 9-foot rod should do just fine.

Your choice of spinning reel can be a bait casting model or the regular level-wind reel. Although conventional reels do have a learning curve in casting, they do serve as well for dropping the line from the pier. You should also have nice terminal gear although you can test out what you want according to the location and fishing conditions.

A fishing license is provided by a majority of fishing charter operators but visitors can opt to simply obtain a short-term fishing license.

 

2. Miami

Miami, Florida is a Mecca for sports fishers. Every morning, boats depart from the city’s marinas and head out to the Gulf Stream. This enables anglers to target the Atlantic Ocean and check out what it has to offer for the day. Those who own no boat have nothing to worry about because some Miami locations boast jetties and piers that bridge the gap between the deeper water and anglers who prefer to fish from the land.

The Newport Fishing Pier is a half-mile long pier located in the Sunny Isles beach community on the north section of Miami Beach. Built in 1982, it is adjacent to Pier Park. Since it was created, this spot has remained a favorite fishery for decades.

While Hurricane Andrew wrecked Haulover Beach Park’s fishing pier in 1992, some deep sea fishing can still be enjoyed on the jetty along the inlet for boatless anglers. Year round, anglers can commonly target yellowtail snapper, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, and barracuda.

Government Cut is found between South Beach and Fisher Island. It serves as the entrance to the Port of Miami. Constructed off the jetties is a wooden fishing pier that lets you have opportunities for fishing the deep water inlets and structures constructed to enable the easy entry and egress of large ocean-going watercraft to and from the harbors.

Oleta River State Park is a spot running its course along the Intracoastal Waterway. Saltwater anglers get the perfect opportunity from the fishing pier on the park where inshore species such as snapper, pompano, sea trout, redfish, and snook can be fished. There are even those who entice tarpon or permit with their rigs.

 

3. Florida Keys

In Florida Keys, recreation and preservation are balanced thanks to the usual practice of catch-and-release. This 125-mile-long arc of islands provides a delightful fishing setting that is singular in the world.

What is referred to by the locals as the backcountry is Florida Bay, which lines the inner curve of the Florida mainland and the Florida Keys. It is home to 5 of the actively sought after game fish for sports fishers namely, tarpon, bonefish, redfish or red drum, permit, and snook.

The Atlantic Ocean is found off the outer curve of the arc of islands and nearby Gulf Stream. This spot provides some of the most preferred catches for recreational anglers namely, swordfish, sailfish, and white and blue marlin.

 

Outside Florida

 

Florida doesn’t have a monopoly on the best saltwater fishing places in America, as there are other states with top-rated fisheries as well.

 

4. Galveston, Texas

Galveston, TX serves as the divider between the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay. Speckled trout, redfish, and tarpon are fishery options in the bay. Wahoo, red snapper, king mackerel, and sailfish are options for those who fish out in the Gulf. The action happens the whole year round.

This spot is not just one great fishing destination but thanks to the island itself being touched a lot by history, it is also a noteworthy tourist destination. Houston is just a hop away in less than one hour. Recreational anglers and charters can trek to the various beaches, piers, and jetties there along with the flats inside West Bay, East Bay, and Trinity Bay. Sharks provide terrific photo opportunities and speedy releases.

 

5. San Diego, California

San Diego, CA also offers fishing productivity via its waters along the California coast. Some of the biggest fish comprise the angling options, providing a progressive, year-round angling opportunity with countless captains who are ready to impart what they know to those who avail of their services.

You can aim for spotted bay bass in San Diego Bay the entire day so inshore fishing can readily turn into a fun-filled family holiday. The more adventurous can embark on a multi-day offshore fishing endeavor to bag some giant tuna.

 

6. Outer Banks, South Carolina

Outer Banks, SC offers productive waters for saltwater fishing. The easternmost section formed by Hatteras Island on the Atlantic Coast serves as a fish highway. Trophy catches can be made using baitfish as the waters of the Gulf Stream push them up the coast from the Caribbean and South Florida, among other southern fisheries.

 

7. Montauk, New York

Montauk, NY has an intense attraction to anglers thanks to its close location to New York City. It’s become one of the most popular angling locations because of how enormous migrating fish schools use it as a route on their way up to Maine from the Long Island Sound. Aside from striped bass, anglers can also aim for big tuna and other noteworthy catches in the offshore canyons.

8. Southeast Louisiana

For some impressive saltwater angling, head for Southeast Louisiana. Located at the edge of one of the most famous rivers in the world, this fishing destination is where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Mississippi River Delta. Target trophy fish including speckled trout, black drum, sheepshead, flounder, and redfish, to name just a few. Or, if you’re up to it, troll the offshore canyons south into the Gulf for some dolphin, wahoo, tuna, and marlin.

 

9. Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Cape Cod, MA includes Buzzards Bay and runs past Martha’s Vineyard. It also goes out and around Nantucket then back up to Provincetown. Those are where you could sight migratory stripers along with cod, bluefish, huge bluefin tuna, wahoo, and swordfish. Those are just a few of what you can aim for here.

 

10. Virginia Beach, Virginia

At the point of juncture for the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, and various freshwater channels is Virginia Beach, VA. This spot provides a wide variety of fish and fishery locations. Enjoy top notch offshore angling and a wide array of coastal fish varieties along with a spectacular mix of freshwater and inland species.

Virginia Beach is a genuine fishing haven, with tournaments everywhere including one of the most attended striper contests in January. Have your fill of bluefish, mahi mahi, marlin, cobia, and amberjack.