Explore 2024's Top Fishing Spots in the US & Central America

Embarking on a fishing adventure is more than just casting a line; it's about immersing yourself in the raw beauty of a location. Catching fish is the bonus. We've scoured the Southeast US and Central America to bring you the top eight fishing destinations for 2024 that promise not only outstanding angling experiences but also an adventure of a lifetime.

1. Isla Holbox, Mexico

If adventure travel is your game, escape to the tranquil shores of Isla Holbox on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. The shallow flats surrounding the island offer prime conditions for targeting tarpon, permit, and bonefish. If you’re going to DIY, grab a couple of beers and take a stroll down to the dock at dawn or work your way to the western tip of the land watching for tailing bonefish and permit or the occasional blooping juvenile tarpon. 

Better yet, stroll over to Tarpon Club and ask for Alejandro Vega Cruz, AKA Sandflea, and see if they’ve got an opening on a boat while you’re there. Maybe ask around wherever you’re staying to see if you can get another angler to share the day and costs. 

If you’ve got a tarpon Jones, Isla Holbox is a great place to ding some fish and work out the kinks in your technique as you’ll get plenty of shots. A lot of the fish are on the small side but talk to Sandflea beforehand, as there are some times and places where you don’t want to bring a knife to a gunfight. 

2. South Padre Island, Texas USA

Deep in the south of Texas, up tight against the coast one of the best fishing spots with walk-in fishing in the west. South Padre Island may be one of the major college spring break destinations, but it’s also home to some of the best spotted seatrout and redfish action in the country. In the last few years, tarpon and snook have ramped up their cameos as well. 

Bordered to the west by the Laguna Madre and the east by the Gulf of Mexico, some of the best DIY fishing is just a car ride and a safe parking spot away. Home to some of the most spectacular seagrass meadows in North America, the Laguna Madre has an average depth of less than three feet and enough wadable flats to make a topwater plug angler giggle with excitement. 

Zip north up the island and look for pullovers, dirt roads, parking lanes, and pull-offs on either side, and don’t forget to bring extra hydration, or that Texas sun will give you the western version of “The Vapors.” 

3. Tamiami Trail, South Florida, USA

All you need is a running vehicle to bend a rod on one of the most diverse canals in Florida. The 110-mile stretch of Tamiami Trail from Calle Ocho in Miami to Naples is where the tidally driven saltier waters of the Everglades meet the invasive species-laden freshwater canals that feed them. In short, you can catch an Oscar or peacock bass on one cast, and have a juvenile snook or tarpon zip you through the trees on the next. 

What’s cool is that anywhere you can pull over, particularly if there’s a bridge, culvert, or some means of running water to inspire the steady feed, is going to be fishy. And if you see a stack of birds on an energized feeding spree, you’ve hit the mother lode. 

Like most places, dawn and dusk—the low light conditions where our rose and violet mirror lenses excel are best, but that’s also the time when the mosquitos, gators, and moccasins are feeling froggy. So grab a rod, some mosquito repellent, and the rest of your outdoor gear, find a pull-off, and watch where you step.

4. Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Charleston offers a unique blend of history and exceptional fishing. Explore the cobblestone streets before heading to the inshore waters for redfish, speckled trout, and flounder, and if you can time your trip with the flood tides, you can get in on some of the best sight fishing in the grass this side of the Louisiana Delta. 

Walk-in is not the way to go, but there are plenty of locals that run boats so lean on that friends and family network for the introduction to your ride. Or you can blow the dust off your wallet and hire one of the local guides who will sufficiently get you lost in the winding little waterways that run through the grass. 

Either way, the redfish action is world-class, even in winter, as are the local eateries. Be careful here, as it’s easy to leave town with a bit of a southern drawl. 

5. Magdalena Bay, Mexico

If travel and fishing are on your list of options and you’ve been looking to ride the final frontier and pull on something with a bill, Mag Bay is the place. Hop a plane to Loreto on the Baja Peninsula and it’s a two-hour drive to Puerto San Carlos, a small town at the end of Route 22 on the edge of Mag Bay. 

There are plenty of local set-ups, mostly fishing out of Pangas, and the ride to the striped marlin can be anywhere from 2 miles to 2 hours from the launch. If you can find a ball of bait getting hosed, you’ve stepped into striped marlin, dorado, and tuna Valhalla. 

Save some dorado or tuna for tacos or sushi that evening, and spend the day laughing and learning as the fish dust or deny your offerings. If the bite is good, your nightlife will be cut short by the sleep Nazis, but you’ll wake the next day ready to do it all over again. 

6. Louisiana Delta, Louisiana, USA

The expansive marshes and bayous of the Louisiana Delta are a haven for inshore anglers. Louisiana truly is the “Sportsman’s Paradise,” and you’ll eat like a king while you pursue trophy redfish and speckled trout in this rich and diverse marshy ecosystem.

All roads lead to somewhere, but it’s best to plan and pick from the long list of great fishing towns on the southern Delta. Tailor your trip to what you want to catch—seatrout and drum inside, tuna and snapper outside. 

This trip comes with a cast of characters both human and piscatorial.

7. Moorehead City, North Carolina, USA

The Outer Banks are a hotspot for both inshore and offshore fishing adventures. From chasing cobia just off the beaches to battling marlin in the deep waters, this coastal region offers a wide range of angling opportunities. 

And let’s not forget the inshore action for redfish and seatrout or the fall albie run. 

What makes Moorehead City special is the variety and proximity to so much salty goodness. So whether you have the big fish blue water Jones or the need to chase challenging fish up in the skinny, this place is your launching pad. 

8. Roatan, Honduras

Renowned for its pristine coral reefs and extensive flats, Roatan is a haven for DIY fly and light tackle adventures. The local rock, and will help you put together your first bonefish, tarpon, permit slam. 

The water’s crystal clear, so work on your wading bird imitation or you won’t get within casting range of anything with eyes. There are some great guides and lots of amazing fly tiers in the local population, so even at night, you’ll have a lot in common with everyone at the bar. 

In 2024, the Southeast US and Latin America continue to captivate adventurous anglers with a plethora of fishing destinations that promise not only thrilling catches but also unforgettable experiences. From the lush jungles of the Mexican Caribbean to the historic waters of Charleston, grab your eco-friendly fishing gear and head to one of these 8 amazing locations for a trip you’ll be talking about to all your fishing buddies.