15 States Angling for the Top Spot in Fishing Tourism

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Captain Experiences.

Fishing is a classic outdoor pastime for many Americans, and its growing popularity has led to a trending sector within the tourism industry known as fishing tourism.

While many enjoy afternoons fishing at local ponds, rivers, and lakes near their home, amateur and professional anglers alike increasingly travel to top fishing destinations across the country, boasting picturesque views and potential for impressive catches.

To find the top states for fishing tourism, researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The analysis was conducted by Captain Experiences, a fishing and hunting guide reservation platform. For more information, refer to the methodology section at the end.

Here are the most popular fishing travel destinations in the U.S.

15. Oregon

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 217,658
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $8,614,226
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 22.1%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 25.7%

14. Georgia

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 221,189
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $3,318,536
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 13.8%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 21.1%

13. New Mexico

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 229,300
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $2,786,201
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 29.9%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 33.4%

12. South Carolina

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 230,871
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $2,321,338
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 28.6%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 36.5%

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11. Wyoming

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 231,511
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $6,617,055
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 71.5%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 77.1%

10. Idaho

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 247,744
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $10,241,245
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 28.0%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 55.8%

9. Michigan

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 252,180
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $9,275,692
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 21.2%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 31.1%

8. North Carolina

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 275,808
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $6,324,127
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 29.3%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 22.1%

7. Minnesota

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 377,439
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $13,376,465
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 23.6%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 34.8%

6. Tennessee

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 388,475
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $13,353,929
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 23.5%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 30.6%

5. Wisconsin

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 448,237
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $12,146,592
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 25.3%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 35.1%

4. Alaska

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 492,860
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $15,817,365
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 70.8%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 75.6%

3. Colorado

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 511,912
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $12,335,290
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 38.9%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 41.2%

2. Montana

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 739,575
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $16,647,712
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 50.0%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 72.5%

1. Florida

• Annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 917,665
• Annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: $25,753,980
• Share of annual fishing licenses issued to non-residents: 36.8%
• Share of annual fishing license revenue from non-residents: 54.4%

Methodology

Researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s 2024 Hunting & Fishing Licenses Data. The latest licensing data is for apportionment year 2024, which reflects license sales that occurred in 2022.

In order to determine the most popular fishing travel destinations in the U.S., the researchers calculated the number of fishing licenses, tags, permits, and stamps held by out-of-state residents.

In the event of a tie, the location with the greater total revenue generated from licenses, tags, permits, and stamps held by out-of-state residents was ranked higher.

The data only includes paid licenses that meet the requirements of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act and do not include licenses issued for free or where individuals are not required to have any license.

Additionally, anglers may hold licenses from multiple states simultaneously, and therefore, these calculations do not represent the number of actively licensed anglers.