Top 10 Bucket List Inshore Fishing Spots In The United States
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
- Found In: Fishing Tips, Inshore Fishing, Weekly Newsletter: 4-7-24
If you’re into inshore fishing, this is for YOU.
I’ve fished all across the southeast and other parts of the United States.
Below are my TOP 10 spots to fish!
Top 10 Bucket List Inshore Fishing Spots [VIDEO]
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1. Baffin Bay, Texas
This is a place you may have already heard of.
It is legendary fishing grounds for trophy trout.
Redfish and black drum are there as well but people fish here for the trout.
The nearest big city is Corpus Christi which is about an hour from this spot.
As a result, the bay is not as pressured as you may think.
One downfall of this place is it’s not really a family destination due to its isolation.
2. Orange Beach, Alabama
This is a family vacation destination.
The inshore fishing is excellent with loads of opportunities at big fish.
3. Topsail, North Carolina
This has fantastic inshore fishing that flies under the radar.
The fishing is outstanding in a nice little town with great beaches.
During the winter this spot becomes a great area to target trout while the flounder and redfish are plentiful in the summer.
4. Hopedale Lagoon, Louisiana
No matter the time of year, this spot has it all.
You can catch a ton of fish here.
Especially in the warmer months, redfish galore!
Another great thing about this spot is it is not far from New Orleans.
5. Florida’s Nature Coast
This refers to anywhere from Panacea down to Pasco County just north of Tampa.
This area is what locals call “Old Florida”.
It is underdeveloped with no beaches or big cities.
That’s what makes the fishing here the same as it was years ago.
It is a great place to catch both quality and quantity fish.
6. Mississippi Coast
The Mississippi coastline is 50 miles across and has some great fishing spots.
The fishing is outstanding and not many people have this on their radar.
Especially in the colder months, the fish are pushed back into the marshes and creeks that spread across the coastline.
7. Murrels Inlet, South Carolina
This spot is typically not busy compared to other high-traffic areas.
The fishing here is epic – especially in the warmer months for flounder.
8. Chesapeake Bay Area (Virginia)
This place is loaded with fish.
I had one of the best redfish days I’ve ever had while fishing there.
9. Guana Lake, Florida
This is one of my favorite places to fish in the entire country.
It is a dammed up river that holds MASSIVE trout.
This is one of those places known to hold 30″+ fish.
Another cool thing is due to the rules of the lake, only kayaks are basically allowed in the area.
Also, you don’t have to worry too much about the tides – just keep an eye on the wind.
10. Mosquito Lagoon, Florida
The Mosquito Lagoon has made an incredible comeback over the last few years.
I’ve had my best redfish year to date on the Mosquito Lagoon in the last 12 months.
It is a special place worthy of being on your inshore fishing spots bucket list.
The fishing is great all year round.
FINDING THE FISH HELP
In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.
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I would add the Nuese River Pamlico Sound NC for the giant Bull Reds.
That I believe is one of the best, if not the best places to go to get a bull red and you can do it from a kayak. The only reason I didn’t put it on the list is because it’s only a handful of weeks per year. But it’s a strong alternate. I do want to go back there.
What about 10000 Islands?In everglades city
That’s a great area! Unfortunately, I haven’t been there yet so it didn’t make the list but I will get down there eventually
We need more of these articles. This is right down my alley right here. It was almost as if you copied off my paper though Pat. There were a few unexpected ones thrown in, but most of these I have either recently marked off my list ( ex.Guana), or have at the very top (ex. Mosquito Lagoon).
Oh, and I grew up near Surf City and it was the beach we always came to. It’s definitely pronounced “Topsul” . Please no “TOP SAIL”. That will make locals cringe.
Let me know when you come down to the ML. Would love to hit the water with you again.
Will definitely hit u up
I really enjoyed this segment. You managed to lengthen my bucket list.
Thanks Brad! I wanted to put some in there that was a little different from the usual suspects. Glad you liked it!
Thanks for the post, Pat! The weather gods crushed my Hopedale trip in January (25 degrees and 25 mph winds) but I’ll be near Murrell’s on Memorial Day. I’ll have to rent a kayak.
Murrells is awesome but just like any other place on holidays, it will be busy. Good luck up there!!
I’m not very far from Baffin Bay I just know that area very well
Such a great place!!
Great post Pat! Several spots I’m going to have to try. How about top 10 Wade Fishing Spots?
I might have to get some assistance from you on that one!
Well pat I did enough traveling while in the navy for 20 years and I started inshore saltwater fishing back in March of 03 and here in jacksonville fl I have found great fishing not much in a way of wade fishing but if you have a boat or yak ( I have both) your good I don’t use my yak though anymore on acct of your 9th pick guana reseriour not really able to fish it anymore on acct they drain it very early in the spring and leave it that way pretty much the whole summer with depths of only inches deep very sad but you said the tides were not really to worry about no actually there is no tides there period in fact the only moving water there is on the other side of the reserviour on the tolimoto River side opposite the dam by the main entrance to the park I never launched there I always used to launch by six mile launch the area there I’d much better fishing until about a half mile past the bird watching tower on the right side of the reserviour after that not much structure really no points or cuts just acres and acres of grass banks with sand fir bottom from six mile launch to about a half mile after the tower is best with lots of points and grassy islands with small creek channels fished it for years then in 2014 they started draining it like they do now it’s actually the second non tidal saltwater area in the whole state of Florida the 1st being you mentioned it mosquito lagoon and a crazy thing about this area is because it’s non tidal there is no oysters?!! The reason being is since oysters are biovalve filters they must have moving water to live hence tidal flow but there is one area I fish about 38 miles from where I live that because I’m a retired navy veteran I cam fish it anytime by getting a free yearly overnight pass to enter the gate and this place is faver dykes state park for non military it’s 5 bucks to get in but you have to wait until they open the gate at 8am but not me I can fish it anytime day or night it has some huge snook there and lots of reds and trout as well as flounder in fact I have only hooked 3 snook in my life and landed 2 of those 3 and they were all at faver dykes state park via pelicer creek its kind of between northeast fl and the very beginning of Central fl located in flagler county an awesome fishery that also is like your mentioned nature coast has an old Florida charm that also is undeveloped on in fact a man by the name of Hyrum faver the man the park was named after that before he died owned this land and wanted to give it to the state of Florida but only on one condition that the state never ever develops on it and keeps it this way for good and man am I glad the state did because this is one of my favorite areas to fish and because of the hours it opens it doesn’t get nearly as much fishing pressure as alot of the other areas of florida and believe you me I take full advantage of it I guess you don’t remember but you did a spot dissection on this area for me a few years back when you first became a coach in fact I remember when I first joined back in 2017 you were just a member just like me anyways thanks for the info and all you do😀👍
hey brother I served from 90-94 on the USS Roanoke. Is it possible for me to get a pass or is it for retired Navy only? Love your post very detailed.
Well Jason that I could not tell you for sure but you could call the ranger office at (904) 794-0997 and if they don’t answer right away leave a voice-mail there is a detailed recording telling you what to do and they usually will give you an answer within a couple days max sometimes after only a few hours also the best time to call is around a little after 8 am because at 8 they open the gate for the public then go back to the ranger station to do paper work and whatever but after around 830 to about 9 am they are out of the office till a little in the evening before closing this is really the only time an angler can get some evening topwater action but like I said only until sundown when and if you get to the boat ramp there is a small sign stating what time they close for that day and it obviously varies by season earlier obviously in the winter time and longer in the summer but please don’t tell your friends it’s one area that are few and far between that gets alot less fishing pressure then most of northeast florida does I usually dont tell alot of people about my spots because they flock to them like birds anyways if you do just visit I gaurentee you will see what I mean it’s beautiful and peaceful just the way I love it goodluck😉👍
I like the video. Thanks. I am curious about what the lure was that you were using in Guana Lake.
I was using both the Moonwalker and the Slam Shady Jerk Shad on those catches.