Best Saltwater Fishing Spots for Spring 2026

Spring Brings the Bite Back

Water temperatures are climbing, baitfish are moving, and predators are waking up hungry. Spring is one of the best windows for saltwater fishing along both US coasts, and 2026 is shaping up well thanks to mild winter water temps that kept forage populations healthy. Here are the spots producing right now.

Southeast Atlantic — Florida to the Carolinas

The Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon systems in central Florida are already firing for seatrout and redfish on the flats. Sight-casting to tailing reds in shallow grass is prime through April. Further north, the bull red drum run around Cape Hatteras typically peaks in late March through May. The shoals off Ocracoke and Portsmouth Island are the classic spots — look for birds working and cast metal jigs or cut bait on circle hooks.

Charleston’s inshore creeks are stacked with flounder moving back into the estuaries. Work the drop-offs on outgoing tides with Gulp swimming mullets on jig heads.

Gulf Coast — Texas Through the Panhandle

Port Aransas and Baffin Bay in south Texas are peaking for trophy speckled trout. Wade fishermen throwing soft plastics at first light have been posting solid stringers this month. The grass flats around Rockport are holding fish too, especially on topwater plugs in the low-light hours.

Louisiana’s marsh system around Venice and Grand Isle is producing limits of redfish for anglers working popping corks and live shrimp. The spring shrimp migration pulls everything into the passes, making this one of the most reliable bites on the Gulf Coast.

Over on the Panhandle, Destin and Choctawhatchee Bay are seeing cobia cruise the beaches. Sight-cast from the towers with live eels or large jigs in brown or green.

Northeast — Mid-Atlantic to New England

Striped bass are pushing north through the Chesapeake Bay and into New Jersey waters. The fish arriving now are the advance guard — schoolies and slot fish feeding aggressively on herring and bunker moving into rivers and estuaries. Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook, and the Delaware Bay surf are all producing. Live-lining bunker or throwing soft plastics around structure is the play.

By late April, the big migratory stripers reach Montauk and Block Island. Plan trips around the new and full moon tides for the strongest current movement — that’s when bigger fish feed hardest around the rips.

Pacific Coast

San Diego’s offshore scene is heating up early this year. Yellowtail are biting at the Coronado Islands and the offshore kelp paddies. Surface iron jigs and live sardines are both working. The spring halibut bite in the bays — particularly Mission Bay and San Diego Bay — is worth targeting on dropper loop rigs with live smelt.

Up in Northern California and Oregon, spring Chinook are entering the rivers. The Klamath, Sacramento, and Rogue rivers all have early returns. Check regulations carefully — seasons and quotas change yearly, and 2026 has some new restrictions on certain tributaries.

Gear Tips for Spring

Spring fish are often feeding in cooler water and may be sluggish early in the day. Slow your retrieve, downsize your leader, and fish the transitions — warming afternoon tides often trigger the best bites. Carry a variety of bait sizes since forage availability changes week to week as different species migrate through.

Book weekend charters early. Spring slots fill up fast, especially around holiday weekends in May. Weekday trips often mean less pressure and better fishing anyway.