While spring and summer are generally considered the best times for fly fishing, there are plenty of opportunities to reel in some catches during the winter. If you’re looking for an exciting and new fly fishing destination to visit this winter, we’ve got some great suggestions below!

Oregon Coast

The Pacific Northwest is one of the world’s best regions for fly fishing, and the Oregon Coast is the gold standard for many anglers. The Oregon coast is one of the premier winter fishing spots for steelheads, as its home to many large steelhead fisheries.

The Lower Rogue River is one of the best spots to snag a steelhead. Around 30,000 fish move through the river from December to January. The coast contains many rivers for anglers to frequent, like the Siletz, Umpqua, and Chetco Rivers.

Anchorage, Alaska

For many anglers, Alaska is the Mecca of fly fishing. It’s home to bountiful and beautiful fish and gorgeous landscape views you cannot find anywhere else in the world. Many consider the Kenai Peninsula as the best rainbow trout fishing spot in the world, as it’s practically bursting at the gills with trophy fish.

While it may get pretty cold in Alaska during the winter, with average temperatures below freezing in January, the natural beauty of Alaska and the biting fish make it worthwhile!

Pro Tip: If it’s your first time traveling to Alaska, consider hiring a guide to point you in the right direction of where to fish. They can provide valuable insight that only personal experience offers.

North Georgia

If you’re looking to visit a warmer fly fishing destination this winter, consider the plentiful trout in northern Georgia! While this region is typically not the first place anglers think of for fly fishing, it offers plenty of trout in its year-round tailwater streams, like the Toccoa and Chattahoochee Rivers.

Fly fishing in northern Georgia offers plentiful rivers of trout and stunning landscape views of southern Appalachia. From pleasant weather to beautiful vistas and trout-filled rivers, northern Georgia checks all the vacationing boxes.

Key West, Florida

For those who want to escape the cold winter weather for a warm place to fish in the sun, there’s always the pleasant waters of Key West! This city is great for those who enjoy saltwater fly fishing or want to try it for the first time. Southern Florida is one of the country’s best regions for bonefish fishing.

If you’ve never fly-fished in saltwater before, it’s a fun and exciting change of pace from rivers and lakes, and you can’t beat the southern Florida weather. If you’re taking the family along, they won’t mind a vacation in Key West, even if it’s just for fishing!