Fishing is such a treasured pastime for many. Whether it’s the calm and relaxing variety on a still lake, or the chaotic adventure of deep sea fishing, there’s something so fun and fulfilling about successfully reeling in a wriggling fish and discovering the mystery of the catch.
Summer is a perfect time to participate in this popular recreational activity, for both pro anglers and novices alike. No matter your skill level, we hope you enjoy your time this summer catching (and eating) some delicious fish.
For the Beginners: Read through our list of fishing tips and helpful resources to get you started on your fishing journey!
For the Pros: Skip down to our Fishing Recipes section to find great ideas for all types of fish you’re bound to catch this season!
For Everyone: Be sure to download or print our Fishing Scavenger Hunt and our Kayaking Packing List resource guides to prepare for your next fishing or boating trip!!
Click to Download!
Fishing Tips & Resources
New to fishing? Check out these helpful tips and articles for advice on everything from how to fish, to where to spot specific species of fish.
- How to Fish: https://www.takemefishing.org/how-to-fish/ has helpful tips and tricks for all types of anglers, including information on how to tie fishing knots, how to work with hooks, lures, and fishing gear, and even the best times and methods to catch various kinds of fish. You can also find instructions on obtaining a fishing license and registering your boat.
- Where to Fish: the above website also includes a Places to Fish and Boat map where you can search for specific bodies of water to see what others have caught recently, or narrow down by fish species to determine the best places to go fishing! The map is powered by the FishBrain app, another helpful resource if you are an avid fisherman.
- How to Prepare Fish: Once you have caught fish that you are planning to take home to cook, you will need to learn how to clean and trim it to prepare it for storing or cooking. Consider these helpful tutorials:
- How to Fillet Fish: Once your fish has been cleaned and/or scaled, you are ready to cut it into fillets or steaks so it can be used for cooking! This great video from Epicurious shows instructions on how to fillet every fish. Click through the video until you find the fish type you need (time stamp indications are in the video description).
- Types of Fish: This guide from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lists 42 species of freshwater fish complete with images and helpful information for each, including the average size, range, habitat, diet, and history.
- Park Information: The below resources allow you to look up national parks around the country to find where certain species of fish may be available.
Fishing Recipes
Now that you know all you need to know about where to find and how to catch various types of fish, you’re ready to test your cooking expertise by preparing some delicious recipes using your fresh catch of the day! Take a look at the below list of fish and seafood recipes to find great preparation techniques for some of the most popular types of fish.
Catfish (Blue, Channel, White)
Region: Midwest, West, South
Habitat: River, Stream, Lake
Featured Recipe: This Cajun Catfish Sandwich packs a punch of flavor with spicy creole-style seasoning, fresh catfish fillets, homemade dijonaise, and sweet pickle relish, on Martin’s Big Marty’s Rolls!
Cod (Atlantic, Pacific)
Region: Northeast (Atlantic); West (Pacific)
Habitat: Ocean
Featured Recipe: Hand-breaded, seasoned cod fillets and a lemon-mayo cabbage slaw are the perfect companions in this Fried Fish Sandwich with Creamy Coleslaw recipe.
Crab (Blue, Dungeness, King, Snow, Stone)
Region: Various (Alaska, Northwest, East)
Habitat: River, Bay, Ocean
Featured Recipes: Next time you go crabbing, consider serving up a Cold Crab Dip with Fish Crackers (pictured above) or some yummy Crab Rolls!
Flounder
Region: Northeast, South
Habitat: Bay, Ocean
Featured Recipe: These Baked Fish Hoagies made with flounder, served with homemade tartar sauce and shredded lettuce make a wonderfully filling lunch or dinner option!
Haddock
Region: Northeast (New England/Mid-Atlantic)
Habitat: Gulf, Ocean
Featured Recipe: A meaty whitefish like haddock is perfect for these Blackened Fish Sandwiches With Spicy Mayo served on Martin’s Potato Rolls.
Halibut (Atlantic; California; Pacific)
Region: Northeast; West
Habitat: Ocean; Bay
Featured Recipe: Try using battered and fried halibut for these Mini Fish Taco Bowls topped with cilantro-lime coleslaw and spicy mayo!
Lobster
Region: Various
Habitat: Ocean
Featured Recipe: Dig into a decadent New England-Style Lobster Roll filled with lemony lobster salad and served on buttered, toasted Martin’s Long Potato Rolls.
Mahi-Mahi (AKA Dolphinfish)
Region: South, Northeast
Habitat: Ocean
Featured Recipe: Mahi-Mahi fillets are the perfect option for this Grilled Fish Sandwich with Avocado, with cilantro-lime coleslaw and roasted pineapple-jalapeno spread.
Pollock
Region: Northeast
Habitat: Bay, Ocean
Featured Recipe: Use breaded and baked Pollock for these yummy Crispy Fish Sliders dressed with spicy ranch sauce!
Salmon (Atlantic; Chum, Coho, King, Pink, Sockeye)
Region: Northeast (Atlantic); West
Habitat: Bay, Ocean, River; Lake, Stream (Coho)
Featured Recipes: Who doesn’t love salmon? Get creative with flavorful sandwich recipes like this Salmon BLT (pictured above) or Mini Salmon Sliders with Garlic Lemon Aioli.
Scallop
Region: Various
Habitat: Bay, Ocean, Sea
Featured Recipe: Love scallops? Try breading and frying them to build this Bay Scallop Po’Boy served with mayo and lemon wedges.
Sea Bass
Region: South
Habitat: Ocean
Recipe Suggestion: Try using sea bass as a protein alternative to chicken in this open-faced piccata sandwich recipe arranged over a bed of toasted Martins Butter Bread with arugula, shallots, and green apple slaw, then topped with a lemon-butter sauce, shaved parmesan, and capers.
Shrimp (Pink, White)
Region: New England/Mid-Atlantic, Southeast
Habitat: Bay, Gulf, Ocean
Featured Recipes: Enjoy shrimping? Use your catch for creative recipes like Shrimp Flatbread (pictured above) or Grilled Shrimp Po’ Boys with Cajun Aioli.
Sole (Dover, English, Flathead, Petrale, Rex, Rock, Yellowfin)
Region: Alaska, West
Habitat: Sea, Ocean
Featured Recipe: Use a breaded and fried white fish such as sole for these Fun Fish Sandwiches!
Tilapia
Region: Southeast, South
Habitat: Lake, Pond, River, Stream
Featured Recipes: Tilapia is a great fish for baking (such as in the above Parmesan Baked Tilapia recipe) or for pan-frying (as with these Tilapia Fish Taco Boats with Tropical Salsa).
Trout (Includes: Brown, Bull, Cutthroat, Golden, Lake, Rainbow, Spotted Seatrout, Tiger)
Region: Northeast, Midwest, West, South
Habitat: Ocean, River, Stream; Lake, Pond; Bay
Featured Recipe: Panko-breaded fresh caught trout fillets plus pickled onions and dill mayo takes this Crispy Trout Sandwich to the next level.
Tuna (Bigeye, Blackfin, Bluefin, Dogtooth, Skipjack, Yellowfin)
Region: South, Northeast, West
Habitat: Ocean
Featured Recipe: Use flaked or canned tuna to cook up some alternative Tuna Burgers this summer!
Walleye
Region: Midwest, South, Northeast, West
Habitat: Lake, Pond
Image and recipe from: www.today.com
Suggested Recipe: Try using your fresh catch along with Martin’s Hoagie Rolls for a Fried Fish Sandwich with Tartar sauce!
Summer Fun Reminder
Be sure to visit our Summer Fun Sweepstakes this month for the chance to win a kayak voucher, followed by a fishing gear set!! (Just in time for Father’s Day or your next fishing trip.)
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