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Lake Austin, TX - Texas offers an array of lakes that are great for fishing, but Lake Austin offers the added advantage of being located in one of America's coolest cities.

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Lake Austin, TX - This water reservoir on the lower Colorado River was formed in 1939 and is great for catching largemouth bass, especially in the summer and at nighttime (to avoid recreational boaters).

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Lake Shelbyville, IL - This 11,000-acre man-made reservoir is surrounded by natural parks and wildlife, offering a great opportunity for visitors wishing to camp out and enjoy the fishing coves.

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Lake Shelbyville, IL - This lake is great for catching yellow bass, walleye (pictured), freshwater drum, flathead catfish, crappie, bigmouth buffalo, and carps.

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Columbia River, OR and WA - Amateurs can park their rods along the beaches and sand bars of the largest river in the Pacific Northwest, while experienced anglers usually prefer to brave the rough waters on boat.

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Columbia River, OR and WA - Spring and summer are the best time for catching fish here, including smallmouth bass, salmon, sturgeons, and rainbow trout (pictured).

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Colorado River, CO - Some of the best fishing spots along this 1,450 mi river are located near the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.

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Colorado River, CO - Flyfishing is one of the most popular styles in this region, thanks to the large amount of salmonfly (pictured) that gather here to nest, attracting a considerable number of trout.

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California Delta, CA - Also known as the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, this estuary in Northern California offers mild temperatures all year round.

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California Delta, CA - This spot is great for catching striped bass, sturgeon, catfish, black bass, and salmon (pictured).

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Chesapeake Bay, MD - What makes this bay so fish-friendly is its brackish water, which provides the perfect habitat for those famous Maryland crabs and tasty fish.

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Chesapeake Bay, MD - The bay serves as a birthing sanctuary for more than 70% of the striped bass (pictured) from the Atlantic Coast. Other fish you can catch here include bluefish, drum, speckled trout, flounder, and croaker.

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Lake of the Woods, MN - This lake, located in the northernmost part of the US, is most famous for its ice fishing. If you can handle the frigid temperatures, spend the weekend in one of the area's campsites or resorts. Tourism is common in the area, so you'll be able to find all the necessary amenities quite easily. 

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Lake of the Woods, MN - The lake is home to an array of fish, including walleye, northern pike, perch, sauger, crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, lake trout, lake sturgeon, and muskellunge.

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Lake St. Clair, MI - This small 430 sq mi lake located on the outskirts of Detroit is responsible for about half of all sports fishing in the Great Lakes.

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Lake St. Clair, MI - Its thriving waters are home to walleye, perch, crappie, muskellunge, and a ton of high-quality smallmouth bass. 

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Kobuk River, AL - Meaning "big river" in Inupiaq, this is a great location if you're looking to catch rarer species.

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Kobuk River, AL - This river houses arctic grayling, lake trout, arctic char (pictured), chum salmon, northern pike, and, it's real prize, sheefish.

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Thousand Islands, NY - This group of islands in the St. Lawrence River on the border of the US and Canada is home to the famous giant muskellunge, which can reach 60 in.

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Thousand Islands, NY - The region's mild summers are the best time to catch bass, salmon, walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge.

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Bighorn River, MT -

A tributary of the Yellowstone River, this is a great location for fly fishing.

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Bighorn River, MT - Strict limits on catch are enforced, so most anglers here catch and release. This river is mainly home to brown trouts (pictured), but rainbow trouts can also be found.

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Martha’s Vineyard, MA - Besides being one of New England's most beautiful seaside destinations, Martha's Vineyard is also a great fishing spot. 

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Martha’s Vineyard, MA - The island is home to bonito (pictured), false albacore, and striped bass.

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Kona, HI - Located on the Big Island’s western shore, its calm waters allow for great deep-sea fishing opportunities.

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Kona, HI - The beach is great for catching tuna, mahi mahi and ono, as well as shark and other big-game deep-sea species.

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Outer Banks, NC - The Outer Banks allows for a variety of fishing techniques, such as fly fishing, inshore charter,  braking, and pier fishing.

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Outer Banks, NC - Anglers can catch a great variety of fish here, including flounder (pictured), trout, and sea bass.

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Florida Keys, FL - The winning destination is situated on the southern coast of Florida as it offers optimum conditions for all anglers, from the most experienced to the least.

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Florida Keys, FL -

The waters here are great for bonefish, permit, redfish, snook, and tarpon, but also deep-sea fish like blue and white marlin, sailfish, and swordfish.

See also: The finest British fishing spots for a fresh catch

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