Best Fishing Destinations in July

Everyone's favorite fishing season is summer, and July is a favorite fishing month. 

The sun shines brightly, the water is calm and warm, and game fish actively seek prey. With more people on vacation during the summer, many states frequently offer free fishing days in July, particularly on the Fourth of July, when most are guaranteed to have days off.

During this month, the transition from spring to summer has finally settled down, making the weather and fishing conditions pretty stable. This fair condition makes July the best month for anglers who want to explore deep-sea fishing, as it usually finds many trophy fish in the deep. Alternatively, it is a good month to try other fishing techniques such as fly fishing.

This list will feature popular deep-sea fishing destinations in July and other spots to try if you want to explore different forms of fishing all over the country.

1. Destin, Florida

Destin is a year-round favorite among anglers, earning  its nickname “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.” There are many ways to enjoy fishing in Destin — it has access to the Gulf waters, ocean waters, lakes, and bayous.

In July, you’ll find no other worthy fishing destination for anglers eager to take on the bluefin tuna. Destin is known for producing some record breakers, so you better bring your A-game if you want to snag some of these trophies. Apart from bluefin tuna, Destin also has yellowfin tuna and skipjack tuna in the mix. 

2. Outer Banks, North Carolina

Off the coast of Outer Banks in North Carolina, anglers can find white marlin on baitfish’s tails as soon as the waters are warm enough in July. The Outer Banks’ proximity to the Gulf Stream make it the ideal spot to launch a boat to target these fish. Don’t be surprised if you find a dozen white marlin biting at the height of the summer season. Some report seeing 100-pound white marlin, but experts usually recommend targeting those in the 30-pound range as their aerial acrobatics are more thrilling.

3. Yellowstone River, Montana, and Wyoming

Yellowstone River is a great fishing destination for several months of the year, but it gets perfect for fly fishing in July. With minimal runoff, its waters get shallow enough for wade fishing, and there’s enough pocket water, pools, and seams to make for some exciting fly fishing for brook, brown, and rainbow trout.

The river flows through Montana and Wyoming and stretches over 600 miles. There are many spots to choose from, but the area near Yellowstone National Park, between Carbella and Gardiner, is a great way to start. The sun gets pretty high and hot in July in this part of the US, so make sure to arm yourself with a protective hat and some SPF.

4. Lake St. Clair, Michigan

Michigan’s great lake, Lake St. Clair, is huge and popular, especially during the summer. But not to worry. Many boat ramps and fishing charters surround this 275,000-acre lake so that you won’t run out of options.

This lake is the best place to be if you’re eager to try your cast at a wide variety of fish this July. It is home to plenty of panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, muskellunge, walleye, and crappie. The lake may not be as big as the other great lakes in the region, but it produces almost half of the game fish in the area, so it’s worth checking out.

5. Kona, Hawaii

Marlin fishing in Hawaii is legendary. The most epic blue marlin action happens in Kona, launching off Honokohau Harbor. The charter captains are highly adept at snagging this epic billfish. Watching them tackle this is enough to make your trip worthwhile.

6. Galveston, Texas

Galveston is one of Texas's most popular July fishing destinations because of the variety of species you can catch offshore. It has some of the most exciting kingfish or king mackerel action anywhere in the US, but that’s not all you can find in the deep here. Plenty of shark, Spanish mackerel, trout, flounder, and cobia are actively chasing after baitfish during July. It’s not uncommon to come back to shore having snagged at least ten fish after a day’s work. You have to head further offshore if you want this level of success. But fishing off jetties and buoys can still be quite productive even if you can’t make it into the open water due to bad weather.

Free Fishing Days in July

If you want to introduce the joys of fishing to your family and friends, the best way is to take them to Free Fishing Days, which allows you to fish without a fishing license. Different states have different schedules, but many offer it in July to coincide with the 4th of July weekend festivities.