Alaska, Florida, Delaware Are Top 3 States For Fishing, New Study Says
Alaska is the best state to go fishing, followed by Florida and Delaware, according to new research by a fishing industry company.
Alaska has the longest coastline of any state — nearly 33,900 miles — and more than 94,000 square miles of freshwater, says FishingBooker, which conects fishers to guides and charter boat trips. FishingBooker ranked the quality of fishing in 50 states based on 17 criteria, including water access, number of marinas, number of bait and tackle shops, affordability, fisher reviews and charter availability.
Nearly 60% of Alaskans hold a fishing license, 'which speaks volumes about the amazing fishing locals and visitors enjoy,' FishingBooker says. The state is 'a salmon mecca where you can chase all five species of Pacific salmon, along with barndoor halibut and some of the biggest rockfish you'll find anywhere.'
A swordfish is brought aboard near Islamorada, Florida, a state that's No. 2 in the country for fishing, new research says. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images) Getty Images
Florida ranks No. 2 'and is synonymous with supreme saltwater fishing,' FishingBooker says. 'The Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico hug over 8,400 miles of coastline, with more game fish in these crystal clear waters than we can count.'
Ranking No. 3, Delaware 'has equally good freshwater and saltwater action,' says FishingBooker, which calls itself the world's largest online travel fishing company. 'Whether you cast your line in one of the numerous inland watersheds, the productive Delaware Bay or the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, you won't be disappointed. Bass, crappie and muskellunge are the most common freshwater catches. In the saltwater realm, striped bass, flounder, black seabass, sharks and bluefin tuna are on the menu.'
Michigan ranks No. 4 for fishing, and Wisconsin and Minnesota tie for No. 5.
Michigan provides access to four of the five Great Lakes, 'which makes it the nation's epicenter of freshwater fishing,' FishingBooker says. More than 40% of the state 'is covered in water, spanning more than 40,000 square miles.' Some of Michigan's most popular catches are walleye, trout, salmon, bass, northern pike and muskellunge.
Wisconsin has Lake Superior to its north, Lake Mic higan to the east and thousands of lakes and streams. Catches include coho salmon, rainbow w alleye, pike, bass and perch, and, in winter, there's ice fishing for crappie, lake trout and yellow perch.
Minnesota, known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, is one of the world's best places for muskellunge, walleye and northern pike and one of the best ice fishing destinations, FishingBooker says.
This is the third year FishingBooker has researched the quality of fishing in all 50 states. The company noted that New Jersey dropped from No. 21 in 2024 to No. 28 this year.
'There's no question that New Jersey offers some phenomenal angling, especially along the Atlantic Coast,' says Vukan Simic, the CEO of FishingBooker. 'But with lower scores in affordability and fishing infrastructure, the data shows that the state isn't competing as well as it used to.
FishingBooker's research points out that 15 of the 25 states with the lowest rankings are landlocked. That compares with six landlocked states among the 25 states with the highest rankings.
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