Flannel and Fishing Destinations

Duluth Trading Company Men's Free-Swingin'
Plaid Flannel Shirt.

With cool weather creeping into much of the country and many people thinking about fall and winter activities, Duluth Trading Companies decided to compile some "flannelytics" and figure out the nation's hotspots for sporting flannel for work and play. They even compiled a list of America's Top 10 Flannel Cities, providing fun insights about the flannel culture in each city profiled.

Of course when I think about flannel shirts, I think about fall and winter fishing, and when I think about cities or destinations of any sort, I think about fishing prospects in those areas. With that in mind, I decided to list where I'd want to fish and what I'd want to target in or around each of the Top 10 Flannel Cities. Interestingly, excepting a little ice fishing in mountain lakes just west of Denver, I've never fished any of these waters.

10) Chicago - Steelhead or brown trout that run up various streams that flow into the big pond known as Lake Michigan.

9) New York City - Jumbo stripers in the surf at Montauk, preferably with a big chugging plug.

8) Los Angeles - Trout or the giant bass that eat them in the little lakes that dot Southern California.

7) Washington D.C. - While Potomac River bass and crappie certainly offer intrigue, I'd have to try my hand at catching a snakehead if I was in the area.

6) Philadelphia - Susquehanna River smallmouths or Delaware River largemouths, I believe.

5) Denver - Rockies trout. I'd better plan for at least a couple of weeks to hit all the streams and lakes I'd want to fish, through.

4) Minneapolis/St. Paul - If flannel season refers to summer evenings, Mississippi River smallmouths. If the flannel is a layer that will go under a heavier suit, put me on some little metro lake with big bluegills or crappie in it with ice rod in hand.

3) San Francisco - Get me that close to Eastern Sierra trout lakes, and that's where I'll be headed.

2) Boston - If you read this and know where I should fish around Boston, let me know, because I'm clueless. Maybe in the Atlantic?

1) Seattle/Tacoma - Drop me in the Pacific Northwest, and I'm going to have to find some opportunity to catch steelhead or salmon. I don't know the specific destination, but I'll bet someone can give me some direction.