venues.compare
Fishing by venue
The water decides half the rig before you pick a fish. Current sets the sinker, depth decides whether a float can work, clarity decides whether braid shows, and salt decides which metal survives the season. Here are the 13 kinds of water our engine models, side by side on those numbers, each with the rigs we solve for the fish you find there.
venues · side by side
| Venue | Water | Clarity | Depth | Current | Hold bottom | Wade | Rigs | Tackle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farm Pond | fresh | stained | 2–12 ft | 0.00 | still | yes | 6/6 | $116–144 |
| Weedy Lake | fresh | stained | 3–25 ft | 0.05 | still | no | 7/7 | $116–441 |
| Clear Reservoir | fresh | gin-clear | 8–60 ft | 0.10 | still | no | 11/11 | $113–441 |
| Mountain Creek | fresh | gin-clear | 1–5 ft | 0.55 | ~1.65 oz | yes | 2/2 | ~$120 |
| River Run | fresh | stained | 3–18 ft | 0.70 | ~2.1 oz | yes | 6/8 | $116–428 |
| Big River Channel | fresh | muddy | 15–70 ft | 0.85 | ~2.55 oz | no | 5/9 | $113–364 |
| Hardwater / Ice | fresh | gin-clear | 4–40 ft | 0.00 | still | no | 6/6 | $114–143 |
| Open Surf Beach | salt | stained | 3–20 ft | 0.75 | ~2.25 oz | yes | 4/4 | $222–304 |
| Inshore Flat | salt | gin-clear | 1–6 ft | 0.35 | – | yes | 6/7 | $203–218 |
| Mangrove Estuary | brackish | stained | 2–15 ft | 0.40 | – | no | 4/5 | $204–219 |
| Jetty & Pier | salt | stained | 8–35 ft | 0.60 | ~1.8 oz | no | 6/7 | $211–306 |
| Nearshore Reef | salt | gin-clear | 25–120 ft | 0.50 | ~1.5 oz | no | 1/1 | ~$306 |
| Offshore Bluewater | salt | gin-clear | 60–600 ft | 0.65 | ~1.95 oz | no | 0/2 | ~$306 |
Current is on our 0–1 scale. Hold bottom is the engine's working figure for a sinker that stays put (it warns under half); "still" means it warns at 1 oz or more instead. Rigs: clean / total. Tackle is the solved rigs' street-price range.
Fresh water
Farm Pond Fishing
Still, shallow, weedy, and forgiving. No current means the lightest weight that casts is the right weight.
Weedy Lake Fishing
Vegetation everywhere. Weedless rigging and enough backbone to pull a fish up out of the salad.
Clear Reservoir Fishing
Deep and gin-clear. Visibility is the enemy: this is where fluorocarbon leaders stop being optional.
Mountain Creek Fishing
Cold, tight, and fast. Short casts, tiny hooks, and slick rock that will absolutely put you on your back.
River Fishing
Real current. Weight is now a bottom-contact problem, and drift control beats casting distance every time.
Big River Fishing
Heavy flow, low visibility, big fish. Two to four ounces just to stay where you put it, and scent over sight.
Ice Fishing
A vertical fishery through a hole. No casting, no current, and a temperature band that makes apparel a survival decision.
Salt water
Surf Fishing
Breaking waves and sweeping longshore current. Pyramid weights, long rods, and everything corroding as you stand there.
Inshore Flats Fishing
Skinny, clear, and spooky. Long leaders, quiet entries, and the lightest weight that still gets down.
Jetty and Pier Fishing
Barnacle-covered rock in moving water. The single most abrasive environment in this list; assume the structure is trying to cut you off.
Nearshore Reef Fishing
Structure under real depth. Getting down fast matters, and everything you hook immediately runs for a hole.
Offshore Fishing
Miles out, deep, and unforgiving. The vessel is now the most safety-critical item in the entire build.
Brackish water
Mangrove Estuary Fishing
Tidal, snaggy, and full of structure that eats leaders. Fish get pulled away from cover or they win.