Best Colleges for Fishermen & Fly Fishing Enthusiasts

If you'd rather be on the water than in the library, you're not alone! For students who live and breathe fishing, choosing the right college can mean the difference between four years of withdrawal and four years of sneaking out before dawn to hit a world-class stretch of river. Here are the best colleges for students who take their fishing as seriously as their studies.

The Best Schools for Fishermen

1. University of Montana – Missoula, MT

This one is almost unfair. The Clark Fork River runs directly through campus, and within a short drive you have the Bitterroot, the Blackfoot (yes, that Blackfoot), and dozens of mountain lakes. Montana has a deeply embedded fly fishing culture, a strong fishing club, and programs in wildlife biology and conservation. If you want to fish before your 8am class, this is your school.

Missoula, MT

2. Colorado State University – Fort Collins, CO

Fort Collins sits at the doorstep of some of Colorado's finest trout water. The Cache la Poudre River — Colorado's only Wild and Scenic River — runs right through town. CSU also has one of the top fisheries and wildlife biology programs in the country, so you can turn your obsession into a career. The Fly Fishing Club is active and well-organized.

3. University of Vermont – Burlington, VT

Vermont is a sleeper pick. Lake Champlain offers exceptional bass and pike fishing, and the state's rivers hold good populations of wild trout. UVM has a strong environmental studies program and an outdoor recreation culture that makes it easy to find fishing partners. New England's streams are underrated, and Burlington puts you right in the middle of them.

4. Oregon State University – Corvallis, OR

Oregon is a fishing paradise, and OSU puts you in the heart of it. The Willamette Valley gives you access to steelhead, salmon, and trout rivers, and the Oregon coast is within easy reach for surf fishing and bottomfishing. OSU's fisheries and wildlife program is one of the best in the Pacific Northwest, and the campus outdoor culture is strong.

5. Penn State University – State College, PA

Pennsylvania has more miles of wild trout streams than any other state east of the Rockies, and Penn State sits in the middle of Centre County, which is loaded with limestone spring creeks. The Fisherman's Paradise stretch of Spring Creek is minutes from campus. Penn State also has a well-established fly fishing club with regular outings and tying nights.

6. University of Wyoming – Laramie, WY

Wyoming is a fly fishing bucket-list destination, and Laramie puts you within striking distance of the North Platte, the Miracle Mile, and the Snake River drainage. UW has a strong outdoor recreation culture and solid natural sciences programs. Tuition is low, the fishing is world-class, and the crowds are minimal.

7. Auburn University – Auburn, AL

If warmwater fishing is your thing — bass, crappie, catfish — Auburn delivers. Alabama's Lake Martin and the Tallapoosa River system are nearby, and Auburn's fisheries program is well-respected in the Southeast. The bass fishing culture in this region is serious, and you'll find plenty of like-minded anglers on campus.