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What do San Diego, Chicago, and Baltimore all have in common? You can enjoy some rockin’ good fishing in the shadows of skyscrapers. In fact, cities are often havens for fish, with deep channels and plenty of structure to lure those predators in.
Once upon a time, we might have considered many of these areas too polluted to fish. But thanks to the EPA, in 2025 all of these waterways are significantly cleaner than they once were – and they’re chock full of fish! So check out these 10 top urban angling destinations.
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is home to the largest naval base in the world, and while those massive aircraft carriers and battleships take up a lot of otherwise-fishable territory, there are still countless targets to cast at along the Elizabeth River. This is a story of a recovering river, with reports of massive fish kills and toxins in the water dating all the way back to the late 1800s. But cleanup efforts initiated in the 1970s and continuing today have proved fruitful. As of 2023 only one creek on the river scored lower than a “C” on its State of the River report card. The absolutely spectacular angling that people enjoy in these waters today backs that up. Redfish and speckled trout can be caught here year-round, not only on bait (try shrimp under a popping cork) but also on jigs or plugs and even while fly fishing. Reports of dozen-plus fish days are common, and many other species like striped bass, bluefish, black drum, croaker, and ribbonfish regularly show up in the catch.
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston doesn’t have any skyscrapers and is the smallest city in this roundup, but it certainly is a nice place to visit – especially if you have redfish and speckled trout on your mind. Start with the riprapped edges of The Battery, work your way along the piers and bulkheads, and be sure to drop a line along the pilings of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the Charleston Coal Tipple, and the bridges over the Ashley River. Get some fresh shrimp for bait because both reds and specks love ’em. If the bite is slow, you can take your leftover bait home and steam it up as a consolation prize.
Photo, Adam Aghion
Baltimore, Maryland
If you come visit Bawld-e-more, Hon, be sure to come by boat because the Inner Harbor and Patapsco River have shockingly good fishing. Striped bass are the main target, and some seasons the fishing here is so good that the Baltimore area becomes the top hotspot on the entire Chesapeake Bay. You can catch fish anywhere from the former Francis Scott Key Bridge clear up to the sea wall at the National Aquarium. Cast jigs and swimming plugs close to all the structure created by piers, pilings, and riprap, and you can hook up from late spring through December most seasons. Added bonus: Fish small spinners or tubes on ultralight gear and you have an excellent chance of catching perch, too.
Photo, Getty Images
Austin, Texas
Landlocked Austin might seem like a surprising pick for urban anglers, but it has a true gem right in the heart of town: Lady Bird Lake, a dammed section of the Colorado River. Some surprising catches get made here including the occasional striped bass and giant koi. But the main targets are largemouth bass and carp. The bass fishing is known to be exceptional with 2- and 3-pound fish average and 5-plus-pounders relatively common for anglers tossing plastic worms to structure or working the shorelines with spinnerbaits and topwater plugs. The carp here, meanwhile, are known to be quite big with some reaching the 40-pound mark. In fact, the Texas state record carp of 43.75 pounds was caught right here in the middle of the city.
Chicago, Illinois
We hope the wind isn’t blowing when you visit the Windy City because the shores of Lake Michigan hold some excellent angling opportunities. In the fall, salmon invade the city’s harbors, smallmouth bass are year-round residents, and perch and trout are often caught here as well. On top of that, the Chicago River runs right through town and it’s been on a comeback. After fish populations were whittled down to a measly 10 species in the 1970s thanks to water pollution, cleanup efforts have been successful enough that today there are more than 70 different species swimming in its waters. Among those relatively recently reestablished residences are largemouth bass, which have been documented at over 4 pounds within the city limits.
Seattle, Washington
Perched at the edge of Puget Sound, Seattle’s appearance on our list of awesome urban angling destinations shouldn’t surprise any West Coast salmon sharpies. The Sound and especially where it meets with Possession Sound and Possession Bar is prime turf for species like sockeye, kings, coho, and pinks. These waters also hold plenty of halibut and lingcod. All those fish are attracted by fast-moving currents and dramatic bottom contours that concentrate baitfish and provide prime hunting grounds for predators. Visit during the summer months for the best salmon action, or fall and winter for chum and blackmouth (juvenile kings). A word to the wise: Be sure to check the current open seasons before planning a trip because salmon populations can be cyclical and the regulations are constantly changing.
Photo, Lenny Rudow
Miami, Florida
If you haven’t been fishing in Miami, well, you probably haven’t been to Miami. At least not by boat. Biscayne Bay has some excellent fishing and offers up an amazing variety of species like snapper, tarpon, snook, sharks, red drum, speckled trout – the list goes on! Plus, unlike most northern cities, the fishing is best here during the cooler months of the year as opposed to the summer. Fishing docks and bridges with shrimp or jigs is the norm, and if you want to try hooking into big tarpon or snook, give night fishing along lighted bridges and docks a shot. If you’re a freshwater sharpie, you’re also in luck because many of the winding canals and lakes in Miami are chock-full of largemouth bass and also the exotic peacock bass. The lakes near the airport have both, and there’s a public ramp at Blue Lagoon where you can have the entirely unique experience of reeling in fish as jumbo jets roar overhead almost within casting distance.
Photo, Getty Images
New York, New York
Visit the Big Apple without bringing your fishing tackle? Banish the thought! Remember, Manhattan is an island, and with the Hudson River to the west and the Harlem and East rivers to the east, there’s plenty of catching to be done within casting distance of the most populous city in the nation. These waters are best known as striped bass fishing grounds, with the monsters moving through in the spring to spawn upriver, and smaller “schoolie” stripers ready to strike jigs, bucktails, spoons, and plugs the rest of the year. Look to find them around piers and old pilings as well as channel edges and rockpiles. Flounder (fluke) fishing can be quite good in these waters, too, mostly during summer and fall, and you never know when a school of bluefish will invade. If you find yourself stranded here with no boat (horrors!) remember that Central Park Lake and Harlem Meer have bass, crappie, carp, and catfish to keep you occupied.
San Diego, California
San Diego offers up one of the more unusual opportunities for West Coast city dwellers, with the only population of Cortez bonefish in the United States swimming around in San Diego Bay. That’s not all that’s swimming around there, either, with corvina, croaker, sand bass, spotted bass, and even some sharks and halibut. Fish the flats in the southern end of the bay with shrimp to target the bonefish, or try deeper out near the Coronado Bridge and around similar structure with swimbaits, jigs, or spoons for most of the other species. If you want to target those big halibut, drop live baits down to the bottom and drift along the drop-offs north of the bridge.
Washington, D.C.
Before visiting the Smithsonian museums or the National Mall, head straight for the Lincoln Memorial – by boat with your fishing rods aboard. The Potomac River is chock-full of fish, and where it runs through our nation’s capital, angling for freshwater species like bass and crappie gets spiced up every spring by the spawning runs of anadromous fish such as striped bass and American shad. Even so, the biggest draw for anglers is the blue catfish, which grows to epic proportions and is present in epic numbers. Anchoring right in front of the Lincoln Memorial and fishing around the Arlington Memorial or Theodore Roosevelt bridges is as close to a sure thing as you’ll find in the world of fishing. If you’re visiting Washington, D.C., by land and don’t have access to a boat (BOO!) head for the Georgetown Waterfront Park, the Tidal Basin, or Hains Point. All put you within casting distance of chunky blue catfish right from the shoreline.