Looking for the best fishing in the world? From the salmon-heavy rivers of Alaska to the tarpon-filled lagoons of Puerto Rico, and from Viking cod catches in Reykjavik to harpooning for octopus in the Aegean, you have endless choices.
Fishing is more about the thrill of the chase. There might be a story built in, or a setting as unique as the catch itself, not to mention the post-catch experience. Fishing is often deeply ingrained in the culture of a place, which is what makes it so interesting.
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska
When discussing the best places to fish in the world, you have to include the global “salmon capital”. For that’s what Ketchikan, a historic logging and fishing town on Alaska’s Inside Passage, is known as.
Why does it claim that glorious title? Well, you can bag all five Pacific salmon species—King, or Chinook, Sockeye, Coho, Pink, and Chum—in one place. And you can do it amid some of North America’s most gorgeous natural settings, too.
Salmon fishing is not the only pescatarian reason to visit either. The surrounding waters teem with fish, with halibut, rockfish, and lingcod all common. When done with fishing, there’s much to explore, too.
Creek Street in Ketchikan, Alaska
The area around Ketchikan is also rich in Native American legend, with the Totem Bight Heritage Center showcasing one of the largest collections of totem poles in the country. The downtown area is pretty fascinating, too. Creek Street, once the red-light district for the city’s port, is now an enchanting historic area reflecting its colorful past and packed with galleries, shops, bars, and restaurants.
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
For a place that was once known as the “Hellhole of the Pacific”, Russell—the main town in New Zealand’s Bay of Islands—has certainly cleaned up its act.
What was once a raucous port after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed between Maori chiefs and the British Crown in 1840 is now a town packed with heritage charm. It’s also a perfect launch point for the excellent big game fishing that takes place in the oceans around this archipelago off the North Island.
Snapper
In fact, the area has been dubbed the birthplace of big game fishing after legendary angler Zane Grey helped put it on the map in the 1920s. You can reel in blue cod, tarakihi, trevally, and snapper here, or head out a little deeper to bag kingfish, marlin, and tuna.
The reasons for such great fishing lie in the sheltered waters and semi-tropical climate, both of which lead to rich biodiversity. While many people do visit for the incredible fishing, there are plenty of other things to do here. Choose from exploring the historic Waitangi Treaty Grounds, exploring the galleries of downtown Russell, dolphin spotting in the bay, or hiking gorgeous coastal trails.
St. Lucia
St. Lucia
You’ll find some of the best fishing in the world in the Caribbean and some of the best fishing in the Caribbean in St. Lucia. This gorgeous island—famed for its iconic twin volcanic peaks, the Pitons—is a deep-sea fishing hotspot, with big game blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, and mahi-mahi very much the order of the day.
You don’t have to go all high octane to fish here either. Closer to the shore, there’s great reef fishing for snapper, grouper, and jacks. All this takes place, of course, against a backdrop of those volcanic peaks, lush rainforest, and ice-white beaches.
St. Lucia has a unique culture with African, British, and French influences, thanks to the island changing hands 14 times between the two colonial powers. You can sample that culture in the island capital, Castries, where there’s a fabulous local fish market, or head inland to the hot springs of Soufrière to relax those tired arms after a long fishing stint.
Cairns, Australia
Black marlin
Cairns was founded—by Westerners at least—as a supply port for the Australian gold rushes of the 19th century, developing into a trading and fishing hub that was later fuelled by the sugar trade and tourism.
Nowadays, it’s not only a vibrant city, but also acts as the gateway to the incredible Great Barrier Reef. A bucket list destination, the reef is the largest living structure on Earth, more than 1,200 miles in length and so vast it can famously be seen from space. As a marine habitat, it’s a goldmine of a fishing destination with barramundi, queenfish, giant trevally, and mackerel all on the roll of honor.
The challenge here, though, is to head offshore for big game fishing, particularly for black marlin that migrate through the region from September to December. In fact, they’re so prevalent the region is also known as the Marlin Coast as it’s widely considered the best place to land what is known as a grander—a marlin over 1,000 lbs.
For those not wishing to do battle with sea beasts, there are several estuarine spots where rivers meet the coast, ideal for mud crabs and threadfin salmon.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
There’s a simple reason why Puerto Rico, and especially the area around capital San Juan, is considered one of the best places to fish in the world. It’s one of the few places across the globe where you can do both deep sea and lagoon fishing within just a few miles from a major city.
The San José and Torreccilla lagoons, both technically within the city limits and separated only by the international airport’s runway, offer great tarpon, snook, and crevalle jack fishing.
Meanwhile, just a few miles offshore, deep-sea catches can include blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, mahi-mahi, and yellowfin tuna. The marlin catch is so good here, early November sees the Puerto Rico International Billfish Tournament, one of the oldest and most prestigious marlin events in the world.
Ushuaia, Argentina
Ushuaia, Argentina
It’s not every day you get to fish in the southernmost city on earth, but that’s possible in Ushuaia. Your companions are likely to be just a handful of seals, with a backing of the snow-capped Andes. Little wonder then that casting a reel here ranks alongside the best fishing in the world.
The city sits on The Beagle Channel—named after HMS Beagle, the ship that carried Charles Darwin to South America—and there’s the chance for both fly and spin fishing here. Catch on offer includes great sea bass, trout, and hake.
King crab can also be caught using trap-and-haul methods, while river fishing outside of town is known for both brown and rainbow trout. There’s a real frontier feel to fishing here too, given the city is known as a gateway for Antarctic expeditions.
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Formerly the home of pirates and deserters, over the years the Cayman Islands have become one of the glitziest destinations in the Caribbean thanks to an offshore banking boom.
The islands, and Grand Cayman in particular, have some incredible beaches and there’s also some spectacular fishing to be had, too. A protective reef keeps the waters closer to the beach nice and calm, while also allowing for reef and bottom fishing for snapper, grouper, and barracuda.
Further offshore, where the waters plunge some 20,000 feet, you can also take part in big game fishing for blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi, and wahoo. Make sure to enjoy fresh fish in some of the fabulous restaurants here. Cayman Cabana, right near the port in capital George Town, offers dishes such as ultra-fresh snapper, lionfish ceviche, and grilled mahi-mahi.
Phuket, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand
Phuket is famed for its tropical climate, incredible beaches, Sino-Portuguese heritage… and world-class fishing. The waters around the famed island in the Andaman Sea have been fished for centuries, often with hand lines or nets, rather than rods.
The fact the Andaman Sea is warm and nutrient-rich year-round means there’s a wide selection of fishing on offer, from reef to deep-sea and even some inshore on rivers. Snapper, grouper, and trevally are all available closer to the shore, while the deep is home to sailfish, marlin, tuna, and barracuda.
It’s all backed, too, by an incredible setting with limestone cliffs, deep turquoise waters, and boats that could easily house the lair of a certain fictional British spy’s arch enemy. Spend time in the Old Town of Phuket City, too, making sure to sample the fabulous south Thai fish curries on offer in local eateries.
Ålesund, Norway
Ålesund, Norway
One of the gateways to the Norwegian fjords, Ålesund is in true fishing country. There are few gimmicks for tourists here, more generations of deep local traditions that are still followed.
The city sits in one of Norway’s most fertile fishing zones with nutrient-rich waters that are part of the Norwegian Sea skrei migration route, where Arctic cod make an annual journey south to spawn. Little wonder, then, that it’s known as Norway’s cod capital. There’s the chance to fish from a boat, pier, or dock for a cold-water bounty that includes cod, haddock, pollock, and mackerel.
To cap it all, the city is one of Norway’s most beautiful. Not only is it set against the dramatic backdrop of Norwegian fjords, but a 1904 fire meant that the whole town was rebuilt in a fairytale Art Nouveau style. While exploring, look out for the Ålesund Fisheries Museum. It tells the story of the local fishing history with gear, boats, and a dash of sea salt-crusted romance.
Rhodes, Greece
Rhodes, Greece
In Greece, they do fishing differently: it’s not really a big game fish destination, but more a place to sample and enjoy some old-style traditions and techniques.
Rhodes has a long seafaring history and you can sample some small-scale local charters for bottom fishing and light trolling. Often these are in traditional “caiques”, the colorful old-school fishing boats that line the harbors on many Greek islands. Spear fishing using snorkel and free-dive techniques may also be on offer.
Catch can include sea bream, sea bass, red mullet, and potentially even octopus. After a hard session at sea, there’s no better place to sample local fish than in a harborside taverna, right across from where it was landed.
Old Town Rhodes, Greece
On Rhodes, the setting is even more romantic thanks to the evocative Old Town. Said to be Europe’s largest working medieval town, it was built by the Knights Hospitaller, and their legacy is a magnificent castle, the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes.
Key West, Florida
Mahi-mahi
It’s said that Key West is the most fun place to fish in the United States. That might be somewhat fueled by the town’s legendary party vibe, but also by the fact that the fishing is so varied.
Author Ernest Hemingway put Key West on the big game map when he lived here in the 1930s, and you can still head offshore for sailfish, blackfin tuna, mahi-mahi, and blue marlin if you wish. But there’s also reef fishing that can yield snapper, grouper and cobia too.
Over in the famed Key West Flats, keen anglers can bag tarpon, bonefish, and permit—known as the “big three” most popular saltwater gamefish. Make sure to sample Key West’s other delights while here.
Duval Street in Key West, Florida
Duval Street is home to more Key lime margaritas than anyone could drink. Hemingway House is the former home of the author and the Southernmost Point Buoy is a must-do photo stop.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik, Iceland
The Icelandic capital is home to some of the best fishing in the world thanks to sea charters that leave right from downtown’s Old Harbor, as well the opportunity to head inland to lakes and rivers. While you can bag Arctic char, brown trout, and even salmon on those inland trips, most of the fun is in heading out to sea to make like a Viking.
The nutrient-rich waters are home to cod, haddock, pollock, and wolffish—and if you’re lucky, you may even catch a monster ling. This is a strange cross between a cod and an eel and can reach up to six feet in length.
Reykjavik started life as a tiny fishing village and the traditional fleet remains intact to this day, offering an authentic feel to a day at sea.
The Old Harbor is a great place to hang out while here. Find a bar and try some of Iceland’s cuisine; if you’re daring, fermented shark, washed down with “Black Death” spirit to complete the Viking experience. There’s plenty of more appealing fish on offer, of course. Or better still, head to the famed Blue Lagoon spa to soak away aches and pains in a pool of silica mud.
View from Reykjavik, Iceland
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