girl gearing up for fly fishing

The 12 Best Fly Fishing Locations in the U.S.

Fly fishing is a beloved sport across the U.S., allowing anglers to catch various fish species in some of the most scenic locations. If you are also a fly fishing enthusiast and looking for the top destinations, we have made a guide about the top fly fishing destinations, list their most abundant species, and the prime season for fishing.

 

Texas

Texas offers some of the best year-round fly fishing opportunities, with a mix of freshwater and tailwater fisheries. Anglers in Texas can fish anywhere as they have ponds, rivers, lakes, and a coastal Bay. 

fly fishing in texas

Similarly, Texas has a wide variety of fish species including sheepshead, trout, redfish, black drum, and Bass. 

The top fishing spots in Texas include:

  • Guadalupe River

  • Blanco River

  • Lampasas River

  • Red River

  • Lake Texoma

  • Llano River

  • Pedernales River

  • San Gabriel

  • Devils River

  • Laguna Madre

  • Lake Anahuac

  • Lake Bastrop

  • Ray Roberts Lake State Park

  • Brazos Bend State Park

  • Matagorda Bay

  • Gulf Coast

Texas is among the favorite places for fly fishing enthusiasts because fishing activities in Texas continue throughout the year. Although spring, fall, and winter are considered peak seasons for fly fishing in Texas.

 

Arkansas

Arkansas is home to some of the best trout fisheries in the southern U.S., with cold tailwaters providing excellent fly fishing prospects. Fly fishing in Arkansas provides a scenic adventure while angling, but it will also test your expertise as you will need to be on point regarding skills and equipment.

fishing picture

The best fly fishing spots in Arkansas include 

  • White River

  • Little Red River

  • Little Missouri River

  • Beaver Lake

  • Caddo River

  • Bull Shoals Lake

In Arkansas, February and March are considered peak winter months and the best time for fly fishing. Arkansas fishing spots are famous for large-sized trouts, along with that, catfish and bass are also abundant in fishing spots in Arkansas.

 

Colorado

Colorado is a fly fisher’s paradise with abundant mountain streams and tailwaters teeming with trout. In Colorado, May to Fall is considered the best fly fishing season. Colorado's finest fishing locations are:

  • South Platte River

  • Fryingpan River

  • South Platte River

  • Colorado River

  • Gunnison River

  • Animas River

  • Blue River

Colorado's most abundant fish species are trout, Salmon, Bluegill, American Eel, Arctic Char, whitefish, bass, catfish, and walleye.  

 

Michigan

Michigan is considered a prime fly fishing attraction for trout. Along with that, you can fish bass, muskellunge, salmon, chinook, walleye, bluegill, and Ide.  Michigan's best fishing spots are as follows:

  • Au Sable River

  • Pere Marquette River

  • Big Manistee

  • Grand Rivers

  • Muskegon River

In Michigan, Spring and summer are considered prime fly fishing seasons . Michigan has more miles of rivers and lakes than any other state in the US, which makes it one of the best fly fishing destinations.

 

Florida

You can catch tarpon, bonefish, redfish, and permit while fly fishing in Florida. The top fishing spots in Florida include:

  • Indian River Lagoon

  • Everglades National Park

  • Biscayne Bay Flats

  • Boca Grange

  • Crystal River

  • Destin

  • Palm Beach

  • Islamorada

  • Naples

Florida provides year-long opportunities for fly fishing, although it impacts the species you want to fish. Warmer months are good for fishing tarpon, permit, and snook and cooler months are good for catching redfish and bonefish.

 

Tennessee

Tennessee boasts excellent trout and smallmouth bass fishing in its pristine mountain rivers. Trout, bass, carp, sauger, and walleye are the most abundant species in fresh and salt waters in Tennessee.

anglers group for fishing

Check out the most sought after fly fishing spots in Tennessee:

  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  • Blue Ridge Dams

  • Watauga River

  • Holston River

  • South Holston

  • Cherokee

The seasons of spring and summer are considered the best time for fly fishing in Tennessee. 

 

Virginia

Virginia’s mountain streams and tailwaters make it a top fly fishing destination. Virginia has a large and varied fish species which includes bass, trout, musky, panfish, perch, pike, catfish, tuna, Atlantic cod, and shad.

fly fishing trip

Virginia’s top fly locations are listed down here:

  • James River

  • Shenandoah

  • North Creek

  • Madison River

  • Chesapeake Bay

  • Kibler Valley

  • Mossy Creek

Virginia also offers year-round fly-fishing opportunities although the warm and mild weather offer better rates than winter.

 

Montana

Montana is a fly angler’s dream, with blue-ribbon trout streams and stunning landscapes. Trout, whitefish, paddlefish, perch, sunfish, sturgeon, burbot, and pikeminnow are among the top species for anglers in Montana.

fly fishing

Check below for some of the best locations for fly fishing in Montana:

  • Yellowstone River

  • Boulder River

  • Rock Creek

  • Blackfoot River

  • Clark Fork River

  • Missouri River

Fly Fishing in Montanna continues all year round although it slows down in the peak winters.

 

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania offers top-notch fly fishing opportunities in the spring and fall seasons. Although it gets a little slow in extreme weather.

The top spots for fly fishing in Pennsylvania are:

  • Spring Creek

  • Penns Creek

  • Youghiogheny River

  • Allegheny River

  • Cedar Run

  • Elk Creek

  • Yellow Breeches

Various species of trouts, bass, walleye, sauger, muskie, carp, pike, pickerel, and catfish are found in waterbodies of Pennsylvania.

 

Alaska

Fly Fishing in Alaska provides an unforgettable experience due to its wilderness and 

crystal-clear rivers.  Trout, salmon, and char are among the abundant species in waters in Alaska.

Alaska Fly fishing preparation

Summer, spring, and fall are the prime fly fishing seasons for anglers in Alaska to visit their nearby fly fishing destination to get the experience of their lives.

The prime fly fishing locations in Alaska are:

  • Kenai River

  • Copper River

  • Soldotna

  • Lost Lake

  • Naknek River

  • Sitka

  • Kodiak

New Mexico

New Mexico offers diverse fishing landscapes which make it a hub of fly fishing activities across the calendar. The top fly fishing spots in New Mexico are:

  • San Juan River

  • Brazos River

  • Rio Grande

  • Rio Chama

  • Pecos

  • Gila River

  • Fenton Lake

  • Coyote Creek

  • Jemez River

Trout, salmon, panfish, bass, catfish, walleye, and northern pike are common catches for anglers in New Mexico. New Mexico offers fishing season around the calendar, but the summer season is considered a favorite for anglers.

Wyoming

Fishing in Wyoming offers an incredible outdoor experience that you'll truly love and find amazing.

fly fishing in Wyoming

If you live in Wyoming and are planning a fly fishing trip, here are the top destinations you can explore:

  • Snake River

  • Green River

  • North Platte River

  • Firehole River

Trouts are the most abundant species in Wyoming along with catfish and sauger.  

 

These destinations provide some of the best fly fishing experiences across the U.S., offering anglers incredible opportunities to catch trophy fish in breathtaking environments. Check out the closest destination and start preparing for your trip.