When it comes to fishing, few forms of the sport offer greater challenges, thrills, and pleasure than fly fishing. It’s as much an art as anything in the angling universe.
Certainly, fly fishing is among the most difficult forms of fishing to master. But just ask any dyed-in-the-wool angling enthusiast, and they will tell you – nothing delivers satisfaction more than snagging a trout in a sparking river or stream in a prime location.
Speaking of prime locations for fly fishing in the U.S., here are some of the top spots:
Southwest Montana
This region might easily claim to be the finest fly-fishing location on the planet. Here you will find the Yellowstone River, Missouri River, Bighorn River, Madison River, and others that team with brown trout and hard-fighting rainbow trout. In addition, the mountainous scenery in these locations is breathtaking and inspirational.
Central Pennsylvania
This might be the last place that comes to mind when people ponder good fly fishing, but the central part of the KeyStone State is an area of numerous spring-fed creeks and freestone drainages that offer abundant brook trout. Spring Creek, Bald Eagle Creek, and the Little Juniata River are some of the best streams.
Rocky Mountain, Colorado
Where you find mountains, you also find glacier-fed streams that tend to be teaming with trout. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado feature what can easily be classified as the best fly fishing in the world. The Colorado River, Eagle River, Yampa River, Gunnison River, and South Platte River are some of the best locations.
In addition to rivers, the Colorado Rockies are home to high alpine lakes that support populations of cutthroat trout. They cruise shallow water areas, so wading in and casting your line can produce trophy-caliber trout.
Western North Carolina
This is an often-overlooked area for fly fishing, but it truly offers top-notch opportunities for trophy trout. Some say the Great Smoky Mountains are among the “best-kept secrets” in terms of superb fly fishing. The Nantahala and South Holston rivers have a strong reputation for copious quantities of fish. This is also an area where wildlife management agencies have aggressive trout stocking programs, but wild trout populations remain robust in the upper reaches of the streams here.