Top 10 U.S. Fishing Charters

If you’re a deep-sea fishing fan or want to try a deep-sea charter, there are many great options across the United States where you can reel in your desired trophy under the trained eye of a charter crew. Head to either coast, and you won’t be disappointed. But, depending on the type of catch that you are hoping to catch, you might want to do a bit of homework before you book a flight.

To make your homework easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite ten U.S. fishing charters.

1. Key West, Florida. Key West has to make the list as it is a world-class fishing destination for anglers of all kinds. The Key West area is full of reefs and wrecks home to hundreds of fish and shark species. Specifically, anglers are delighted to reel in grouper, dolphin, marlin, kingfish, sailfish, snapper, wahoo, and tuna.
2. Waikiki, Hawaii. Waikiki offers sun, snorkeling, and great deep-sea fishing. The Pacific waters off the coast of Oahu offer ample mahi-mahi, tuna, onu, and occasionally Pacific blue marlin.
3. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Though you might not associate the coast of South Carolina as a deep-sea fishing destination, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that thousands of anglers head to the area each year for the beaches, golf courses, southern charm, and yes, the fish. The waters off of Myrtle Beach are rich in black sea bass, king mackerel, snapper, grouper, trigger, dolphin, and larger sea bass. Myrtle Beach charter fishing options are abundant for those vacationing in the area, and many vacationers are pleased to find the best Myrtle Beach fishing trips ever.
4. Ketchikan, Alaska. It’s no surprise that Alaska makes the list for the best deep-sea fishing options. Ketchikan is a great please for those looking for a charter fishing option, and anglers delight when reeling in king crab, box crab, rockfish, eel, and even octopus. To make the fishing experience even more delightful, participants may even catch glimpses of whales during their outing.
5. Sitka, Alaska. For anglers hoping to experience different fishing across Alaska, Sitka is another excellent place to hop on a fishing charter. Sitka is often considered a once-in-a-lifetime destination for salt-water deep-sea fishing. Salmon and halibut are popular catches, but anglers may also reel in steelhead, trout, and char.
6. San Diego, California. For a warmer deep-sea fishing experience, San Diego makes a great location. With plenty to do on land too, a day or two on the water will create an outstanding balance of experiences. Anglers often reel in yellowfin tuna, California halibut, California yellowtail, and the Pacific rockfish.
7. Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Anglers flock to the Plymouth area for their chance at striped bass, tuna, bluefish, and shark. After reeling in a great catch, vacationers can head to Martha’s Vineyard via ferry to revel in the very location where the iconic film Jaws was filmed back in 1974.
8. Galveston, Texas. Galveston offers a great in-between option with some prime fishing and great charter fishing options for those looking to avoid the east and west coasts. Whether anglers elect to fish off the pier or via a charter service, typical catches include blacktip shark, bluerunner, croaker, drum, bull shark, cobia, king mackerel, crevalle jack, flounder, sea trout, gaftop, pompano, red snapper, redfish, and kingfish.
9. Saint Joseph, Michigan. For anglers interested in what they can catch in the northern part of the U.S., Saint Joseph will not disappoint. Lake Michigan is well-regarded by anglers for freshwater fish, including coho salmon, king salmon, steelhead, brown trout, and lake trout.
10. Montauk, New York. Though we’ll leave the final opinion to the anglers, Montauk famously boasts of being the fishing capital of the world. Inshore fishing often results in catches, including flounder, porgy, striped bass, and blackfish. Deep-sea charter fishing goes after tuna, marlin, shark, and mahi-mahi.