Dreaming of an epic fishing adventure? Nothing clears your head like a day or two (or three or four) on the water. Check out Eddie Bauer guide Kayla Lockhart’s list of her favorite fishing spots around the United States that she put together for our partners over at the Outbound Collective.
Read the list
1. Deschutes River
The Deschutes river truly comes alive in the summer! With Fly fishing, Rafting, Kayaking…you name it, and if you are lucky and you might time it right for the infamous salmon fly hatch, where the skies are filled with the 1 inch long trout food flying around!
2. Takhlakh Lake
This lake is small enough for any non-motorized vessel and has an amazing view of Mt. Adams! With Camping near-by and the lake stocked with fish this is a great way to spend a summer weekend!
3. Lees Ferry
One of the most stunning places I have been. There are walk-in access points to fish the river or you can even just kayak through horseshoe bend and all the way up to the Dam. Lees Ferry anglers have guides and jet boat rentals here as well if you have the time to spend and take advantage of the fishery.
4. Green River / Flaming Gorge
This is one of the best trout fishing rivers I have experienced – and it doesn’t hurt that the landscapes surrounding the river are amazing! The summertime can have some incredible hatches that will make any fishing experience on this river unforgettable. There are many guide outfitters, like western rivers, where you can hire a guide to take you through the sections and share their knowledge with you and you can really get the most of the fishing on this river!
5. Salt River
This river might not seem like the best fishing, but don’t let it fool you! First of all, having the chance that you could be casting a line while a wild horse takes a drink out of the river across from you is pretty incredible in itself, but also this river holds some record sonoran suckers! Catching these fish on a fly is a lot of fun and the hikes through this river are always beautiful, just watch out for all desert cactus!
6. Boundary Waters: Seagull Lake
Growing up in MN, This is one of my favorite areas! There just is nothing quite like the boundary waters. You experience some of the most breathtaking sunsets, that leads you to experiencing encapsulating star-gazing that will keep you looking up all through the night! The bonus to the serene wilderness of the BWCAW is the fishing at seagull lake, filled with walleye, lake trout. Northern and smallbouth bass -it truly as so much to offer!
KAYLA LOCKHART
Eddie Bauer Exploration Guide
Born and raised in a small town in Minnesota, Kayla Lockhart discovered her love of the outdoors, and of fishing and hunting, at an early age. As a young girl, she traveled all over Minnesota with her dad, fishing many of the state’s fabled 10,000 lakes. She works with The Mayfly Project, a nonprofit organization that mentors children in foster care by introducing them to fly fishing.
