Fishing in the USA
FishMap covers 35,167+ US fishing lakes across all 50 states, sourced from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset with fish species recorded via GBIF. Minnesota, Massachusetts and California lead in lake count, but every state has its own page with the biggest lakes, recorded species and stats.
States with the most lakes
All 50 states + DC
- Alabama810 lakes
- Alaska1,598 lakes
- Arizona306 lakes
- Arkansas563 lakes
- California1,625 lakes
- Colorado1,296 lakes
- Connecticut136 lakes
- DelawareNo data yet
- District of ColumbiaNo data yet
- Florida554 lakes
- Georgia1,523 lakes
- Hawaii47 lakes
- Idaho1,413 lakes
- Illinois446 lakes
- Indiana703 lakes
- Iowa228 lakes
- Kansas112 lakes
- Kentucky281 lakes
- Louisiana346 lakes
- Maine734 lakes
- Maryland64 lakes
- Massachusetts1,987 lakes
- Michigan936 lakes
- Minnesota2,928 lakes
- Mississippi1,103 lakes
- Missouri1,196 lakes
- Montana124 lakes
- Nebraska1,080 lakes
- Nevada251 lakes
- New Hampshire615 lakes
- New Jersey456 lakes
- New Mexico463 lakes
- New York604 lakes
- North Carolina454 lakes
- North Dakota407 lakes
- Ohio357 lakes
- Oklahoma1,029 lakes
- Oregon216 lakes
- Pennsylvania1,101 lakes
- Rhode Island4 lakes
- South Carolina1,091 lakes
- South Dakota271 lakes
- Tennessee552 lakes
- Texas452 lakes
- Utah531 lakes
- Vermont746 lakes
- Virginia610 lakes
- Washington261 lakes
- West Virginia427 lakes
- Wisconsin1,087 lakes
- Wyoming1,043 lakes
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fishing license to fish in the US?
Yes — almost every state requires a fishing license, whether you're fishing a lake, river or coastal water. Rules, prices and exemptions vary by state, so always check your state's wildlife agency site before heading out.
Which US state has the most lakes to fish?
Minnesota tops the list with nearly 3,000 lakes in our database, closely followed by Massachusetts and California. States like Alaska and Idaho also have enormous amounts of fishable water despite fewer registered lakes.
Where can I find which fish species are in a specific lake?
Every lake page (/lakes/$slug) lists species reported via GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) for that lake, plus its area, depth and coordinates.
Where does the lake data come from?
Lake outlines and core data come from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) — the same source US agencies use themselves. Species data comes from GBIF.