Anglers often have their own favorite fishing holes, and many of them are reluctant to share their locations. However, the fly-fishing in some U.S. rivers is just too good to be kept secret. Fishable rivers flow through every corner of the country and, in some of them, it is almost hard to not catch a fish. When traveling to a river you have not yet explored, be sure to check local regulations before getting a line wet.
Montana's Mighty Mo
- Western Montana is full of excellent trout streams, but anglers interested in catching trout the size of a football will have the best luck on the Missouri River. The best stretch for fly-fishing is near the state capitol, Helena, just below Holter Dam, where releases of cool water create prime trout habitat. Several dams along the Missouri create reservoirs and lakes that will allow adventurous anglers to try for several species of fish. Fort Peck Lake in northeastern Montana is home to large trout, walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass.
Michigan's Au Sable
- Michigan may be most famous for the lakes that surround it, but the thousands of miles of rivers that run through it offer some excellent fly-fishing. The Au Sable River flows through Grayling, Michigan, the town in which Trout Unlimited was founded. Enormous fish swarm the area during early summer for the river's famous hatch of Hexagenia limbata, the world's largest mayfly. Anglers with some time should also fish the Manistee River and pay a visit to the Upper Peninsula to fish the salmon runs.
Arkansas' Norfork and White Rivers
- Anglers will find a variety of trout in Arkansas' Norfork and White Rivers; rainbows, browns, cutthroats and brookies teem in these waters. Dams on both rivers release cool water that allows trout to thrive in this warm climate. Nearby Mountain Home, Arkansas, has several businesses that cater to anglers who visit in an attempt to catch some of the biggest brown trout in the world. Thanks to warm weather, these rivers are fishable year-round.
Alaska's Copper River
- Compiling a list of best fly-fishing rivers is a subjective exercise, but most would agree that Alaska's rivers should be included. If you're not afraid of a little competition from grizzly bears, Alaska's salmon runs are unparalleled. Sockeye salmon run up the famous Copper River in July, and trout are biting whenever the weather is warm enough for anglers to brave it. Fishing pressure is relatively light because the Copper River is restricted to fly-fishing only. The solitude and forested scenery round out an idyllic fly-fishing experience.
