The 5 Best Spring Break Fishing Trips in the U.S.

By Jeff Bogle

Mar 08, 2023

March means it is almost time to take the best spring fishing trips together. Here are where the 5 best spring fishing trips happen in the U.S.

Maybe you’ve braved the cold for some winter fishing, but this is the season you’ve been waiting for. Spring is almost here and with it, longer days, warmer weather, and more fishing biting in the creeks, rivers, and lakes in your local area and in the destinations considered best spring break fishing trips. As schools are getting close to giving kids a much-needed reprieve from lessons and homework, here are some of the best spring fishing trips you can plan and take together. Whether this is a time for a family spring fishing trip with the little ones in tow for a long weekend or a week-long getaway, spring break fishing trips can bring everyone together. Here are the 5 best spring break fishing trips in the U.S.

 

1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

With 60 miles of beaches, world-renowned golf courses, and a classic boardwalk with so much to see and do, there is something for every member of your family to enjoy during a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It’s also one of America’s best spring break fishing trips that you can take because in the spring, warm water brings in a lot of crabs and with them come a bounty of redfish! In addition, flounder and bluefish can be caught during spring fishing trips. If you are looking for some offshore fishing, March in Myrtle Beach is when billfish, wahoo, tuna, dolphin, and cobia are caught regularly during many of the best spring fishing trips.

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2. National Parks

From Yellowstone to the Everglades, the Rocky Mountains to the Great Smokey Mountains, the best spring break fly fishing trips happen in national parks. Did you know that you can go fishing in national parks? It’s true, and it is fantastic! But what makes fishing during National Parks Week or on spring break so special is the fact that when not casting out into crystal clear streams, you are in one of the most protected and natural perfect places in America! You’ll experience jaw-dropping wildlife, epic sunrises and sunsets, grand mountains, and photographic opportunities while making memories to cherish for a lifetime.

 

3. Lake Havasu, Arizona

Lake Havasu is on the border of Arizona and California border but is smack dab in the center of spring break tradition in America. This is one of the best spring fishing spots in the nation and a spring break party spot too. Lake Havasu has spring species to catch for every angler, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, stripers, bluegill, and catfish, and multiple public docks and piers will make it easy to quickly get your line in the water. If you want something even more special for your spring fishing trips, there are boats you can rent to put some distance between yourself and the crowds on the shore. During this year’s spring break, you can make fishing a spectator sport and watch pro anglers go for bass, making Lake Havasu one of the best spring break fishing trips in the country.

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4. Tybee Island, Georgia

Are you a fishing purist? Do you need not much more than a beautiful beach town and hungry fish to be happy? Tybee Island offers families one of the best spring break fishing trips devoid of the raucous crowds popular with many spring breakers. Whether you are planning an early spring fishing trip or if spring break is later where you live, on Tybee, the best spring fishing trips are all about inshore fishing when you hire a charter and explore the waterways of the sound and river to fish for red drum, speckled trout, and sheepshead. And you can pretty easily snag some flounder and black seabass on Tybee Island's fishing piers. When your family wants a break from being by the water, there are miles of hiking trails and scenic places for riding bikes. Of course, a picnic on the beach is a perfect way to unwind while on vacation and on spring fishing trips.

 

5. Yakima Valley, Washington

The Pacific Northwest probably makes you think of grey skies and heavy rain, especially if planning spring fishing trips, but this is not what life is like in the Yakima Valley. Located a couple of hours from Seattle, this land of rolling hills and almost 200 miles of rivers stemming from the slopes on the East Cascade Mountain Range enjoys 300 days of sunshine each year, making it one of the best spring break fly fishing trips you can take in the U.S. The Yakima River itself is Washington State’s one and only “Blue Ribbon” trout stream. Come spring, it’s full of big rainbow trout and is the site of perfect spring fishing trips. There are also 100 lakes waiting to be fished in this dreamy and serene valley!

 

Nothing beats the feel of spring in the air and for anglers, March means that some of the best fishing is right around the corner. Here’s how to plan perfect spring fishing trips.

Jeff Bogle
Jeff Bogle
Jeff is a dad of teen daughters, avid traveler, photographer, and freelance writer. He’s penned stories on family travel, outdoor recreation, the environment, parenting, and more for Fodor’s, Reader’s Digest, Parents Magazine, Good Housekeeping, PBS, and Esquire, among other publications. Find him on his blog, OWTK.com and on Instagram @OWTK. Jeff is also the publisher of the quarterly literary zine, Stanchion