Along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and down in the Gulf of America, US anglers are lucky to have access to some very good saltwater fishing. Almost all of it is accessible by road, whether you’re trailering a boat or chartering a boat and captain once you get there.
If you’re ready explore outside your home waters but aren’t excited to spend hours in airport lines and in the confines of a plane, fuel up the truck and hit the road. One of the biggest benefits of driving is you can easily bring your own gear, and transporting your catch home is as easy as keeping it on ice in a cooler.
Of course, what constitutes a “reasonable” distance must be left to the driver. We assessed a number of excellent saltwater fishing destinations accessible by road from the continental United States and landed on these five top fishing destinations that offer both inshore and offshore options.
Fishing the Florida Keys
You knew the Florida Keys would be on any self-respecting angler’s drive-to list, right? Truth be told, the Keys features awesome fishing pretty much 24-7, but time your visit and choose your captain to enjoy the types of fishing you love most while scratching multiple challenges off your bucket list.
Top Ports
- Islamorada: Drive for about an hour and a half south of Miami, and you’ll find that Islamorada consists of four islands, lays claim to the title “sport fishing capital of the world,” and is home to the world-famous Bud ‘N Mary’s Marina.
- Key West: About two hours farther down the road from Islamorada, the very last populated island in the Keys, Key West, requires no introduction. Let’s just say that if you can’t catch fish here, it’s time to take up golf.
Top Captains and Specialties
- Brian Cone, Islamorada, offshore and bottom fishing
- Rick & Nick Stanczyk, Islamorada, daytime swordfish and everything else out of Bud ‘N Mary’s
- Donnie & Ted Benbow, Islamorada, sight-fishing on the flats and backwaters
- Lenny Leonard, Key West, flats and backcountry
- Mike Wienhofer, Key West, offshore and bottom fishing
- R.T. Trosset, Key West, offshore and bottom fishing
- Nate Wheeler, Summerland Key (25 miles east of Key West), inshore and offshore
Seasonal Species
- Warm months: bonefish, grouper, mahi-mahi, permit, snook, tarpon,
- Cool months: cobia, mackerel, sailfish, wahoo
- Year-round: blackfin tuna, redfish, sharks, snappers, swordfish
Fishing the Mississippi Gulf Coast
With mile upon mile of Biloxi Marsh in one direction and multiple deep-water oil rigs in another, the Mississippi coast provides wonderfully diverse fishing opportunities. Although this is a relatively small stretch of shoreline, you’ll find multiple jumping-off points, with guides working the waters year-round.
Top Ports
- Biloxi: Biloxi usually gets top billing in this neck of the woods, with the largest selection of charters of any port in the state.
- Gulfport/Long Beach: About 15 miles west of Biloxi, Gulfport and Long Beach both support multiple charter operations.
- Pass Christian/Bay Saint Louis: Head another 15 miles along the coast and Pass Christian offers closer access to the endless marshes of Mississippi and Louisiana, where reds and specks rule.
Top Captains and Specialties
- Bryan Cuevas, Biloxi, inshore and offshore red snapper, and fishing the marshes
- Joe Allen, Biloxi, offshore yellowfin tuna at the oil rigs
- Sonny Schindler, Bay St. Louis, inshore and offshore
Seasonal Species
- Warm months: cobia, grouper, king mackerel, red snapper, tarpon, yellowfin tuna, tripletail, flounder
- Cool months: flounder, sheepshead
- Year-round: black drum, redfish, speckled trout
Read Next: Five Hotspots for Winter Redfish
Fishing North Carolina’s Crystal Coast
The southern portion of the Outer Banks, ranging from Cape Lookout to Topsail Beach, the Crystal Coast has always been more of a drive-to destination than a fly-in sort of place, since the nearest major airport is nearly three hours away in Raleigh-Durham. The Crystal Coast also has always ranked high on an angler’s list of must-go places, with inshore and offshore opportunities galore — plus the unusual potential of once-in-a-lifetime fish, when it comes to the winter giant bluefin tuna fishery.
Top Ports
- Morehead City/Atlantic Beach: At the northern end of the Crystal Coast, boats leave through the Beaufort Inlet for intense offshore action, especially along the edge of the Continental Shelf at the famed Big Rock. Many anglers also make this a destination for catching false albacore on the fly in late fall, when the waters are often literally churning with breaking fish as far as the eye can see.
- Bogue Inlet: About 20 miles south of Morehead, Bogue Inlet might require a longer run to the offshore grounds but it also means easy access to endless inshore waterways peppered with countless marsh islands and sand bars.
Top Captains and Specialties
- Dale Britt, Morehead City, offshore big game
- Stephen Draughon, Morehead City, offshore big game
- Sarah Gardner, Harker’s Island (just east of Morehead), inshore and light tackle
- Gary Dubiel, Oriental (just north of Morehead across the Neuse River), inshore and backcountry
Seasonal Species
- Warm months: blue and white marlin, mahi-mahi, sailfish, Spanish mackerel, wahoo
- Cool months: bluefin tuna, false albacore
- Year-round: blackfin and yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, grouper, king mackerel, redfish, speckled trout
Fishing San Diego, California
West Coast anglers looking for a hot bite can hit the road for San Diego, where both the bay and ocean have some serious draws. You might be tempted by a multi-day voyage to Mexican waters for tunas, perhaps those mystical West Coast bonefish have you contemplating a road trip, or you might even set your sights on San Diego just for the halibut.
Top Ports
- San Diego Bay: Used by bay guides and as home port for oceanic adventures, San Diego Bay features a large charter fleet consisting of everything from bay boats to 100-foot-plus, long-range sportfishing vessels with private staterooms and WiFi.
- Mission Bay: Just north of San Diego Bay, Mission Bay offers many private charters for nearshore and offshore fishing, as well as a number of longer-range sportfishers.
Top Captains and Specialties
- Sam Moore, San Diego, long-range multiday trips for assorted pelagics
- Frank LoPreste, San Diego, long-range multiday trips for monster yellowfin tunas and other pelagics
- James Nelson, San Diego, bonefish on light tackle
- Duane “Diego” Mellor, private day charters for tuna, yellowtail, and especially swordfish
Seasonal Species
- Warm months: Warm months: bluefin and yellowfin tuna, barracuda, striped marlin, swordfish, dorado (mahi-mahi)
- Year-round: bonefish, calico bass, barred sand bass, halibut, rockfish, sharks, yellowtail, yellowfin tuna (long range), wahoo (long range)
Fishing Venice, Louisiana
Venice has earned a reputation as one of the top fishing ports along the entire Gulf Coast, thanks to its world-class inshore redfishing and relatively close access to numerous offshore oil rigs. Drive a couple hours south from New Orleans, and the asphalt ends in this fishing mecca.
Top Ports
- Venice: Once you’re in Venice, you stay in Venice. Fishing is rightfully the primary focus for this destination.
- Buras: While you won’t see much development on the drive south along Hwy. 23, you will find several fishing operations in Buras — about 15 miles north of Venice — which focus primarily on marsh fishing and seasonal duck hunting.
Top Captains and Specialties
- Damon McKnight, Venice, inshore and offshore
- Louis Rossignol, Venice, inshore redfish and speckled trout
- Mike Frenette, Venice, inshore redfish and fishing the rigs for pelagics
- Peace Marvel, Venice, Gulf swordfish and offshore
- Journey South Outfitters, Venice, tuna, redfish, snapper
- Mexican Gulf Fishing Company, inshore and offshore charters
- Cajun Fishing Adventures, Buras, inshore fishing and fly fishing
Seasonal Species
- Warmer months: blue and white marlin, cobia, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, red snapper, tripletail, swordfish
- Cooler months: sailfish, wahoo
- Year round: blackfin and yellowfin tuna, red snapper, redfish, speckled trout
