Bait & Tackle
Where to fish
Rivers, lakes, and coastline with the shops that know them best.
Rivers & Streams · Colorado
Arkansas River
Tailwater browns below Pueblo Reservoir and a long wild section through the Buena Vista valley.
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Saltwater & Coast · Florida
Biscayne Bay
Flats and mangrove shorelines from Miami to Key Biscayne. Bonefish, permit, and juvenile tarpon.
Bonefish · Tarpon · Spotted seatrout
Saltwater & Coast · Texas
Bolivar Flats
Marsh flats at the mouth of Galveston Bay. Wade for redfish, speckled trout, and flounder.
Redfish · Speckled trout · Flounder
Saltwater & Coast · Massachusetts
Cape Cod
Stripers and albies from the beach, flats, and rips.
Striped bass · False albacore · Bluefish
Saltwater & Coast · California
Catalina Island
Half a day offshore from LA. Rockfish, calico bass, and yellowtail from banks and pinnacles.
Rockfish · Calico bass · Yellowtail
Saltwater & Coast · Maryland
Chesapeake Bay
Striped bass from the bridges to the flats, plus speckled trout and red drum to the south.
Striped bass · Red drum · Speckled trout
Saltwater & Coast · Florida
Destin Passes
The passes between Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf. Redfish, seatrout, and sheepshead.
Redfish · Speckled trout · Sheepshead
Lakes & Reservoirs · Colorado
Eleven Mile Reservoir
High plains reservoir at 9,000 feet. Rainbow and brown trout from shore and boat, ice fishing in winter.
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
reservoir · Mississippi
Enid Lake
Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Yocona River ten miles south of Batesville. The world record white crappie came out of this water, and the summer pool holds crappie, largemouth bass, white bass, catfish and bream.
Crappie · Largemouth bass · White bass
Lakes & Reservoirs · Montana
Flathead Lake
Largest natural lake west of the Mississippi outside Alaska. Lake trout and bull trout.
Lake trout · Bull trout · Kokanee salmon
Saltwater & Coast · Florida
Florida Keys
Flats for bonefish, permit, and tarpon; reef and offshore for snapper, grouper, and mahi.
Tarpon · Bonefish · Permit
Saltwater & Coast · Texas
Galveston Bay
Wade and drift for speckled trout and redfish in the marsh.
Speckled trout · Redfish · Flounder
Lakes & Reservoirs · Colorado
Grand Lake
Colorado's largest natural lake, on the west side of the Continental Divide.
Lake trout · Rainbow trout · Kokanee salmon
Rivers & Streams · Texas
Guadalupe River
Spring-fed Hill Country river. Smallmouth below Canyon Lake, rainbows in the winter tailwater.
Smallmouth bass · Rainbow trout · Largemouth bass
Lakes & Reservoirs · California
Lake Casitas
Southern California reservoir with a strong catfish and largemouth population.
Largemouth bass · Channel catfish · Bluegill
Lakes & Reservoirs · Vermont
Lake Champlain
Smallmouth and largemouth in the same day, plus pike, salmon, and lake trout.
Smallmouth bass · Largemouth bass · Northern pike
Lakes & Reservoirs · Idaho
Lake Coeur d'Alene
Deep Panhandle lake with smallmouth, bass, and cutthroat.
Smallmouth bass · Largemouth bass · Rainbow trout
Lakes & Reservoirs · Ohio
Lake Erie
Walleye capital of the world, with smallmouth around the islands and perch through fall.
Walleye · Smallmouth bass · Yellow perch
Lakes & Reservoirs · Texas
Lake Fork
The state's top trophy bass lake, with standing timber and dozens of ShareLunker fish.
Largemouth bass · Crappie
Lakes & Reservoirs · Alabama
Lake Guntersville
Tennessee River impoundment with matted grass and big-bag tournament weights.
Largemouth bass · Crappie · Catfish
Lakes & Reservoirs · Florida
Lake Okeechobee
Shallow 730-square-mile lake known for trophy largemouth in the grass.
Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill
Lakes & Reservoirs · California
Lake Tahoe
Alpine lake on the CA/NV line. Mackinaw and trout by boat, wading the shore in spring.
Lake trout · Rainbow trout · Kokanee salmon
Lakes & Reservoirs · Texas
Lake Travis
Long Edwards Plateau reservoir through the Hill Country, with white bass runs in spring.
Largemouth bass · White bass · Striped bass
Rivers & Streams · Idaho
Main Salmon River
Wild and Scenic river through the Frank Church wilderness. Fall steelhead and Chinook.
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Rainbow trout
Lakes & Reservoirs · Minnesota
Mille Lacs Lake
Classic Minnesota walleye lake with a big ice fishing community and trophy smallmouth.
Walleye · Smallmouth bass · Muskellunge
Rivers & Streams · Montana
Missouri River
Tailwater below Hauser Dam near Great Falls, and the big brown trout of Canyon Ferry.
Brown trout · Rainbow trout · Walleye
Saltwater & Coast · North Carolina
Outer Banks
Surf and pier fishing for red drum and bluefish; offshore Gulf Stream trips from Hatteras.
Red drum · Bluefish · Spanish mackerel
Lakes & Reservoirs · Texas
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Big East Texas bass lake, the state's largest at full pool.
Largemouth bass · White bass · Crappie
Saltwater & Coast · California
San Francisco Bay
Striped bass from piers, flats, and the gates, plus staghorn and halibut.
Striped bass · Staghorn sculpin · Pacific halibut
Rivers & Streams · Florida
St. Johns River
Florida's longest river. Bass from Lake Monroe to Welaka, snook and reds at the mouth.
Largemouth bass · Snook · Redfish
Lakes & Reservoirs · Missouri
Table Rock Lake
Clear Ozark reservoir with bluff walls, spotted bass, and a big bass tournament scene.
Largemouth bass · Spotted bass · Smallmouth bass
Saltwater & Coast · Florida
Tampa Bay
The biggest bay system in the state. Speckled trout, redfish, and jack crevalle.
Speckled trout · Redfish · Jack crevalle
Rivers & Streams · California
Truckee River
Flows from Lake Tahoe through Reno. Wild trout in the upper canyon, hatchery rainbows below.
Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Lahontan cutthroat
Rivers & Streams · Arkansas
White River
Cold tailwater below Bull Shoals Dam holding trophy browns. Drift boats and jon boats both welcome.
Brown trout · Rainbow trout · Cutthroat trout