Where to fish
The first step in deciding where to go saltwater fishing is choosing the type of water in which you want to fish. With choices ranging from shallow, skinny-water flats to the deep-sea fishing of the Continental Shelf, where you fish in the ocean will determine what species you’ll target, what tackle you’ll use and what type of boat you may need.
Luckily, most U.S. coastline offers the opportunity to move from one type of saltwater fishing to another. From Maine to Washington state, anglers will find everything from surf fishing to backwater fishing to bays and estuaries and offshore fishing.
Regardless of where you choose to fish, five factors will determine where you’ll find fish: water temperature, weather, structure, current and bait. Figuring out what combination will result in good fishing is the central challenge facing all anglers.
In This Section
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- Saltwater Pier and Surf Fishing » more
- Some tackle, a basic rod-and-reel combination and some bait are the requirements.
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Whether to add layers of complexity is up to you.
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- Backwater and Flats Fishing » more
- Shallow, sheltered waters plus aggressive, hard-fighting fish equal backwater and flats fishing.
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If you like variety, this may be the ticket.
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- Saltwater Bay Fishing » more
- Reefs, hills and humps, and shallows and shoals are among the structures found in bay fishing.
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All can hold the fish of your dreams.
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- Deep-Sea Fishing » more
- This type of fishing challenges even the most seasoned angler.
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Advances in electronics, boats, motors and tackle make deep-sea fishing easier and safer than ever before.
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- Finding Saltwater Fish » more
- Structure, current, water temperature, weather and bait.
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All impact the type of fish you catch, and the ease with which you land them.
