Family Fishing Trips in the South

It's starting to cool off down South, so plan a family fishing trip as the fishing gets hot.

It's starting to cool off down South, so plan a family fishing trip as the fishing gets hot. Here are some places to go for salt and freshwater fishing:

Guntersville, Alabama I've talked about Lake Guntersville before because it's featured in the Bassmaster Classic. The lake is loaded with largemouth bass, crappie and cats. Oak Mountain State Park is another great bet, too. And made the 2015 Top 100 places to fish and boat list!

East Texas A lot of anglers hit the flats around Rockport for reds and specs, but check out the largemouth bass fishing in East Texas at the Toledo Bend Reservoir and the Sam Rayburn Reservoir. They fish well all year long.

NOLA New Orleans fished well for big reds and cobia, but there is some excellent backcountry sightfishing for reds and specs. Just be careful you don't have too much fun on Bourbon Street, you'll be late for fishing!

North Georgia Lake Lanier is one of the hot spots for freshwater striped bass, and Smith Creek and the Toccoa River are good trout spots, too. The Tugaloo State Park and the Fort Yaro State Park are ranked in the Top 100 places to fish and boat list.

The Outer Banks, NC Look for reds, tuna, seatrout, and striped bass. False albacore show up in mid-September and they are awesome to catch on light tackle.

The Florida Keys It's no wonder the Keys attracts so many anglers. The fishing for grouper, tarpon, permit, and bonefish is great. Check out the Everglades National Park, voted best place to fish and boat in the Top 100 list and the Bahia Honda State Park, number #2 in the same list. The backcountry is a reasonable boat run away, and there you can add ladyfish, redfish, snook, laid up tarpon, and jacks to the mix.

St. George Sound, Florida Up in the Florida Panhandle you'll find reds, trout, and sheepshead. Seasonal tarpon push through as well.

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina If you're looking to fish in skinny water for reds and seatrout, look no further. If the area isn't fishing well head to Beaufort for a different view of South Carolina.

Lake Tenkiller, Oklahoma The lake is a chip shot away from Tulsa and offers great fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie and cats.

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Ring out the hot Southern summer with a few family fishing trips. You'll be glad you did.

If you are not placed or heading to the South, check the entire recent voted list of the Top 100 places to fish and boat in the U.S and chose one that fits you best for your next fishing trip!

Tom Keer

Tom Keer is an award-winning writer who lives on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He is a columnist for the Upland Almanac, a Contributing Writer for Covey Rise magazine, a Contributing Editor for both Fly Rod and Reel and Fly Fish America, and a blogger for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation’s Take Me Fishing program. Keer writes regularly for over a dozen outdoor magazines on topics related to fishing, hunting, boating, and other outdoor pursuits. When they are not fishing, Keer and his family hunt upland birds over their three English setters. His first book, a Fly Fishers Guide to the New England Coast was released in January 2011. Visit him at www.tomkeer.com or at www.thekeergroup.com.