Whether you fish a stocked pond, a natural lake or a swiftly running river, freshwater fishing can be fun and exciting, especially depending on the species of fish that you are after. Freshwater fish can be tough to find, hard to hook and nearly exhausting to get out of the water, but they are usually well worth all of the work it takes. Some of the best freshwater fish include:

1. Largemouth Bass: This variety is the most popular freshwater game fish in the US for a lot of reasons, including its remarkably ferocious fighting skills, their supreme curiosity (making them likely to bite on nearly anything) and their potential for trophy sizes.

2. Smallmouth Bass: Like their largemouth cousins, the smallmouth bass is quite a fighter, but does have the slight edge not only in that regard, but also in what it takes to actually get one to your hook in the first place. While the largemouth will plow right over and nibble at whatever is offered like a giant playful puppy, the small mouth is likely to be more discerning, checking things out carefully before committing to tasting the offerings.

3. Atlantic Salmon: Among the most expensive fishing there is, Atlantic salmon are not only good as a sport, they are considered to be good eating as well.

4. Coho: Once upon a time the Coho were only found in saltwater, but they were introduced to freshwater lakes in the late 1960’s. The fish exceeded every expectation in terms of its survival and have seen brought droves of fisherman to these areas to try to land the big, feisty game fish.

5. Brown Trout: These are definitely not beginner fish by any stretch of the imagination but are popular among the highly skilled angler.

6. Brook and Rainbow Trout: Both varieties are easier to catch than the brown trout and are better choices for the novice fisherman, especially one who is trying his hand at fly fishing for the first time.

Regardless of the exact species that you would like to hook, know what kind of lure is best to use, what the best time of day or season is and any other tips that will change a so-so day to a phenomenal one.

Follow all rules and regulations and always use common sense safety tips as well. And finally, make sure that you carefully release any fish that are not of the minimum size for their species so that he can swim off and get bigger for his next encounter with you.