Saltwater Fishing: The Complete Guide for 2025

Coastal waters can be treasure trove of fish. And it’s not just small stuff you’ll get to catch – there are some seriously exciting species to reel in only a stone’s throw from shore!

• Snook. Present from South Carolina to Brazil, Snook are a staple game fish in the Americas. They’re especially widespread in Florida, where you can catch them in mangrove forests, inlets, flats, and bays. Snook are easily identified by the thin line that runs along the entire length of their bodies. They can grow to weights exceeding 40 pounds, and they’ll fight hard when hooked.
• Redfish. Sharing a lot of their habitat with Snook, Redfish are found in coastal waters from Massachusetts down to Northern Mexico. Capable of reaching over 40 inches in length, Redfish are both excellent game fish and delicious table fare. You can generally target them year-round, but fall is often the best season to catch trophy-sized specimens.
• Tarpon. With large silvery scales and powerful bodies capable of leaping several feet into the air, Tarpon are the premier inshore game fish. They put up an immensely difficult fight, often making anglers double over in effort to reel them in. You can find these silvery dinosaurs across the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, but also as far as Africa.
• Bonefish. Elusive and blindingly fast, Bonefish represent one of the most exciting inshore fishing challenges. Their shimmering scales meld with the water, making it hard to spot them, and if you don’t land your cast just right, they’ll rarely bite. These traits make them favorites among fly fishers in particular. Bonefish are present from Florida to the Caribbean, though some species are also found in the Pacific Ocean.
• Permit. Together with Tarpon and Bonefish, Permit form the Caribbean fly fishing Grand Slam trio. And like the previous two entries on this list, they’re absolutely fantastic fighters. Permit inhabit coastal waters and they’re most abundant in Florida, various Caribbean islands, as well as Belize.

The five fish we named so far are mostly present in the Americas. But you’ll find many other exciting species in other parts of the world. Australia’s Barramundi is a great example, as well as Giant Trevally that you’ll find in places such as the Seychelles, Oman, and the Maldives. There’s also Roosterfish, which is a staple saltwater game fish in Costa Rica and the Pacific shores of Mexico.

Nearshore fishing is a loose term, but it generally refers to casting your line in waters up to around 10 miles offshore. Within this range, you’ll find an incredible variety of species, especially if you’re looking for fish to reel in to eat.

• Grouper. There are numerous species of Grouper swimming in the seas across the globe, but a common trait among almost all of them is that they’re delicious to eat. Groupers like to lurk near reefs, wrecks, and similar underwater structures. Gag, Black, Red, Dusky, and – the largest among them – Goliath Grouper are a few species you’ll frequently see anglers target.
• Snapper. Numbering over 100 species, Snappers are a family of fish saltwater anglers love seeing at the end of their lines. The reason is simple – these fish are absolutely delicious. Whether it’s Mangrove, Lane, Mutton, or the famed Red Snapper, they all make for excellent table fare. They’re widespread throughout the oceans, and you’ll often catch them fishing near reefs.
• Rockfish. Depending on where you cast your line, the term “Rockfish” will refer to a different species. Here, however, we’re primarily talking about the fish belonging to the Sebastidae family. These Rockfish inhabit the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, but the hottest angling usually takes place off America’s West Coast. But what makes them so appealing to anglers? Their taste, of course!
• Mackerel. Found everywhere from Iceland down to Australia, Mackerel are beloved both by anglers and foodies worldwide. There are over 30 different species of these fish, but most of them follow a similar pattern where they’ll move in the nearshore range during their seasonal migrations. King Mackerel is arguably the most popular member of the family among anglers, along with Wahoo that are found in offshore waters.
• Cobia. A brown, Shark-like fish that seems to be entirely made of muscle, Cobia is one of the finest fighters you can find within a few miles of the shoreline. They’re present throughout the Atlantic and the Caribbean, but you’ll also find them in the Indian Ocean, Japan, and Australia. Cobia are notably hard to locate but easy to hook. And once you have them biting, they’ll give you a thrilling battle.

Granted, the nearshore grounds are home to many other species besides the few we named here. In particular, you’ll different kinds of Sharks lurking everywhere from coastal waters to the various reefs and wrecks. If you’ve never had a chance to wrestle a Shark, we highly recommend giving it a try!

Fishing offshore takes the most time, skill, and effort, but it also holds the biggest prizes. The deep waters are a playground for all kinds of amazing fish, and provide a setting for anglers to create their own legends. Have a look at these popular offshore target species:

• Amberjack. Stubborn and immensely strong, Amberjack are notoriously difficult to handle, especially if you hook into a big one. The pull almost feels as if there’s a truck underwater trying to get away from you. It’s this tenaciousness that has earned Amberjack respect from anglers worldwide. They’re reef fish so you’ll sometimes find them fairly close to shore. However, larger “reef donkeys” typically lurk in the deep seas.
• Mahi Mahi. Colorful, fun to fight, and delicious to boot, Mahi Mahi are a staple game fish. They’re the fastest-growing species in the ocean, making them fairly sustainable targets to go for if you intend on keeping your catch. Mahi Mahi are usually caught offshore, near various floating debris and vegetation.
• Swordfish. Elusive, fierce, and capable of growing to weights of over 1,000 pounds, Swordfish fall among some of the toughest sport fish out there. They’re notoriously difficult to catch, as they’ll lurk at depths of over 1,000 feet, coming closer to the surface only during nighttime. But you can catch them during the day! You can catch them in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, but the grounds they prowl typically lie far from shore.
• Marlin. Famously recounted in Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea, many anglers consider Marlin as the ultimate sportfishing challenge. In fact, the entire Billfish family is stacked with great fighters. Whether it’s White, Black, Striped, or Blue Marlin, or even their cousins, Sailfish, they’ll all present you with a unique thrill. You’ll find them in temperate and tropical waters, but Hawaii, the Azores, Bermuda, and Cabo San Lucas are a few popular destinations.
• Tuna. While there are about 15 different species that vary in size, what most Tuna have in common is that they’ll put up an unforgettable fight once hooked. This is especially true if you hook into larger types of Tuna such as Yellowfin, Dogtooth, Bigeye, or monster Bluefin. These will provide you with battles that can sometimes last for hours on end, during which they’ll test every muscle in your body.