Fishing in United States

Every state runs its own licence system, and saltwater usually needs either a separate licence or enrolment in a free marine registry. Check the state, not the country.

4 researched spots — 2 Saltwater, 1 Fly Fishing, 1 Freshwater.

Licences and permits in United States

Fishing licences in the United States are issued by state fish and wildlife agencies, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is explicit that you need a licence from the state where the fishing happens and must meet that state's conditions. Most states sell online, by phone or through tackle shops and other retail agents, and most offer short-term non-resident options that suit a trip. Saltwater is where visitors most often go wrong: several states require a separate saltwater licence or enrolment in a marine registry on top of the freshwater one, and some species carry their own stamp or tag. Jurisdiction changes offshore too — state waters typically extend three nautical miles, and federal waters beyond that fall to NOAA Fisheries. Budget time for this before the trip rather than at the ramp.

When to fish in United States

The United States is wide enough that its fishing seasons barely overlap, and the spots we cover show it. Florida Keys tarpon are a spring and early-summer migration, roughly April to July, worked on moving tides. Alaska's Kenai runs to the salmon calendar instead: a first sockeye run in June, a heavier second run through July and August, then big rainbows in September and October as the salmon spawn. Montana's Madison is a hatch-driven trout river, with the salmonfly coming off in late June and July, caddis in the evenings and a brown trout run in autumn — and in hot summers the state can impose 'hoot owl' restrictions that close fishing in the afternoons. Louisiana's marsh peaks with the autumn bull redfish run from September to November.

What the fishing is like

The four published US spots are deliberately different from one another. Islamorada is Florida Keys flats fishing for tarpon, bonefish, permit and snook — shallow, sight-fished and technical. The Kenai is big, cold, glacial-fed water in Alaska for king and sockeye salmon and the rainbow trout that follow them. The Madison at Ennis is classic Rocky Mountain fly water for brown and rainbow trout. Venice, Louisiana is marsh and delta fishing for redfish and speckled trout, with yellowfin tuna reachable offshore from the same port — and it is the beginner-friendly one of the four. Between them they cover saltwater flats, salmon rivers, a trout river and a delta, which is a reasonable sample of what American fishing actually is.

Species you can target

  • bonefish
  • brown trout
  • king salmon
  • permit
  • rainbow trout
  • redfish
  • snook
  • sockeye salmon
  • speckled trout
  • tarpon
  • yellowfin tuna

Fishing spots in United States

  • Islamorada Tarpon Flats — Florida Keys, FL. Saltwater, Advanced. Target species: tarpon, bonefish, permit, snook.
  • Venice Marsh Redfish — Venice, LA. Saltwater, Beginner. Target species: redfish, speckled trout, yellowfin tuna.
  • Madison River — Ennis, MT. Fly Fishing, Intermediate. Target species: brown trout, rainbow trout.
  • Kenai River Salmon — Soldotna, AK. Freshwater, Intermediate. Target species: king salmon, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout.

Official sources

Licence requirements and closed seasons change regularly. Always confirm with the relevant fisheries authority before you fish — each spot page links to its source.

Fishing regulations and licences by country · View the fishing map