There are plenty of different types of salmon to go for across North America—king, sockeye, pink, silver, and Pacific to name a few. A world class fish, you can easily catch a trophy if you do your research and find a waterway that fosters and grows impressively sized salmon. And while you can go fishing for Atlantic salmon on the East Coast of the United States, you cannot keep the fish you must release them. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has listed this species of salmon as endangered and you cannot take them from the coast or any landlocked waters. 

Salmon fishing is a great entry-level fish to try your hand at if you have never been before. And it is also a challenging fish to go after if you head out to the West Coast of the United States or up to Alaska. Of course, you will need to figure out what gear and equipment you need to bring in order to be successful first. Keep reading to get inspired about your next salmon fishing trip and to start planning a trip of a lifetime!

Items You Must Bring—and Somethings You Should Bring Just in Case 

While there are some obvious things you should bring with your salmon fishing, other items may not be so clear for some people. You will want to make sure you dress warmly or have the option to add layers on. Bring items such as rain gear, a sweatshirt, thick socks, and a change of jeans in case you get wet throughout the day. You should certainly bring sunscreen and sunglasses no matter the weather or time of year; you will notice that even on cloudy days, light will reflect off the water and directly into your eyes. If you are going to one of the very popular tourist destinations, you can rent your fishing gear from a bait and tackle shop and they will outfit you with a rig that is heavy enough for the salmon you will be catching. If you love salmon fishing, you can certainly make the investment into buying your own gear so you can go salmon fishing for years to come.  

Best Places to Go

Salmon fishing is rather accessible around North America. But of course, some places are better than others depending on what experience you want to have or what species of salmon you want to bring home with you. Always double check if you need a state or local permit before heading out for the day and be sure to bring a big cooler to bring your catch home!

Pacific Coast 

Some of the best fishing is out west, along the Pacific Coast. You can find salmon that weigh up to 50 pounds! One of the best places to go is along the Oregon and Washington border, at the Columbia River. This river is full stocked with large salmon and you can easily fish from the shores and bring home a monster. If you want to head out to the ocean and try fishing there, you can try from Northern California through Washington state. King salmon here weigh around 50 pounds and are a great fight for anglers to enjoy. You will certainly need bigger gear when fishing in the Pacific Northwest, but the fish you bring home will be well worth it. 

Eastern Great Lakes 

The Eastern Great Lakes cover the states of New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Here you will find kind, pink, and silver salmon in the lakes, which are fed through streams from New York and Pennsylvania. If this is your first-time salmon fishing, you should go to Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. Through different states and federal programs, these waters are stocked with salmon so you will have plenty of opportunities to catch them. 

Western Great Lakes 

The Western Great Lakes cover the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. You can fish in Lakes Huron, Superior, and Michigan for Pacific salmon, as well as king, pink, coho, chinooks, and sockeye salmon species. These lakes have more salmon of greater size than Lakes Eire or Ontario and are worth the trip. You can go fishing in the deeper waters from a boat and go trolling for salmon, or fish on the streams in Wisconsin or Michigan where you can target salmon and have a successful day out on the water. 

South Dakota 

If you’re looking for peace and quiet on your salmon fishing trip—and if you want to go to a place you’ve probably never been to before—head out to South Dakota and fish from Lake Oahe near the Cheyenne River Reservation, located in central South Dakota. This manmade reservoir is fed from the Missouri River and is stocked so you will have a great time fishing for salmon here. 

Alaska 

One of the top places to go salmon fishing, Alaska is known for its big king salmon that jump out of the water as they head to the lakes for spawning—as long as a bear doesn’t get to them first, of course. Salmon are naturally found in abundance in Alaska, so these lakes aren’t stocked by government agencies. A top place to go in Alaska for salmon fishing is Katmai National Park and Preserve. Millions of salmons will make the annual spawning runs from the Bering Sea up to Naknek Lake in this park. The largest salmon ever caught in these waters weighed more than 120 pounds! And of course, you’ll have a great view while fishing in these waters as well!

And if you’re looking for sockeye salmon, head over to Bristol Bay. Here you will find the largest run of sockeye salmon in the world. Fly fishing is the most popular way to fish in these waters. And you can also try for rainbow trout here too, if you want to have both experiences on your trip. 

Colorado 

If Alaska is out of reach right now but you still want to experience salmon fishing amongst the cold mountain streams and lakes, head to Colorado. Here you will be able to fish for sockeye salmon, which is stocked in high numbers. There are tons of reservoirs and lakes throughout the state that are good for salmon fishing. Just be sure to get your Colorado fishing permit before heading out—you can either get an annual pass or a daily one. 

Wyoming

Home to the native salmon species Kokanee, you can go salmon fishing in the landlocked lakes and reservoirs. The best time of year to go is during the fall when these fish are mating. While not the largest of salmon—they will typically be around 5 pounds—these are great fish to start practicing your techniques for bigger salmon fishing out west. 

British Columbia

Looking to head out of the United States for some salmon fishing? Go to the Campbell River in British Columbia from July through August in order to get some great Pacific salmon. Close to Vancouver, you will be able to catch trophy salmon in wither fresh or salt water. You will see anglers using a few different fishing techniques, ranging from flying fishing to using a lure and rig set up. The Campbell River is known for being a very family friendly river when fishing for salmon, so bring your whole family and have a competition to see who can catch the biggest one!

There is also Ucluelet, British Columbia to consider as well. A small town on the west of Vancouver Island, this area is home to “salmon highway,” aptly named for the number of salmon that travel through these waters. Only 25 miles offshore, you will come to an underwater plateau that Pacific salmon use to migrate. And the season here is longer than other places—you will find success in these waters from May through September. 

A salmon fishing trip is one for the books! A great fish to go after, people of all skill levels will love constantly working on their techniques and improving upon themselves as they try out new fishing spots and waterways around North America. A great kid friendly fish to go after, you can easily inspire and impart your fishing wisdom on the younger generation on your next salmon fishing trip.