What do San Diego, Chicago, and Baltimore all have in common? You can enjoy some rockin’ good fishing in the shadows of skyscrapers. In fact, cities are often havens for fish, with deep channels and plenty of structure to lure those predators in.
Once upon a time, we might have considered many of these areas too polluted to fish. But thanks to the EPA, in 2025 all of these waterways are significantly cleaner than they once were – and they’re chock full of fish! So check out these 10 top urban angling destinations.
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is home to the largest naval base in the world, and while those massive aircraft carriers and battleships take up a lot of otherwise-fishable territory, there are still countless targets to cast at along the Elizabeth River. This is a story of a recovering river, with reports of massive fish kills and toxins in the water dating all the way back to the late 1800s. But cleanup efforts initiated in the 1970s and continuing today have proved fruitful. As of 2023 only one creek on the river scored lower than a “C” on its State of the River report card. The absolutely spectacular angling that people enjoy in these waters today backs that up. Redfish and speckled trout can be caught here year-round, not only on bait (try shrimp under a popping cork) but also on jigs or plugs and even while fly fishing. Reports of dozen-plus fish days are common, and many other species like striped bass, bluefish, black drum, croaker, and ribbonfish regularly show up in the catch.
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