Tom Rosenbauer, a fly-fisher for more than 30 years, has sunk his home-tied flies across North America and abroad. A vice president of mail order and retail outfitter The Orvis Co., he wrote the classic Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide (Lyons Press, $32.95 hardcover, $17.95 paperback). Now that the fish are jumping, he was asked for his favorite places to cast a rod.

Gallatin River and Madison River, Montana
The Gallatin is where A River Runs Through It was filmed, and the Madison is nearby. Rosenbauer likes to go in April, "before vacation season." Though the dreaded whirling disease has affected some fish in the Rockies, the region still offers "incredible, world-class trout fishing, like you'd find nowhere else except maybe Argentina."

South Platte River and upper Colorado River, Colorado
Only one and three hours from Denver, respectively, are the Cheesman Canyon section of the South Platte and the part of the Colorado near Kremmling, where Rosenbauer reveled in "some of the best fishing in my life" in September. "It's fairly remote, and it's in pretty, high-plains country. It's easy to wade, a real pleasant river to be in." Both rivers hold mostly brown trout and "some big rainbows." The South Platte is more difficult to fish, "but there's no development, and it fishes well 12 months a year."

Delaware River, New York
"The best wild trout stream in the eastern USA" offers its best fishing only hours from New York City. Go between Hancock and Callicoon, N.Y., near the Pennsylvania border. What's swimming: wild rainbow trout, wild brown trout and American shad, which come from the ocean to spawn from mid-May to mid-June; "they're fun to catch on a fly." The landscape is lush with rolling hills and "lots of wildlife," including bald eagles, ospreys and white-tailed deer.

Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod, Mass.
Rosenbauer's favorite is striped-bass fishing, which is good from the East River and the bedroom communities of Connecticut and Long Island all the way through Maine. But the Cape and the Vineyard are his top spots: "You can step off any swimming beach and if conditions are right, you can catch striped bass in the ocean, up to 30-40 pounds." On the Vineyard, Lobsterville Beach has "some of the best striped-bass fly rodding in the world."

Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys, Florida
Though difficult and expensive, "the ultimate saltwater fly-fishing" is in these waters, home to giant tarpon (up to 180 pounds) and bonefish (up to 14 pounds), a fly rodders' favorite. But "they've seen every fly" and they're fast. The tarpon jump often, as high as 6 feet: "When you hook a 150-pound fish and it takes off with half a mile of line, that's Type A stuff. I love to do it, but it's not always a Zen experience."

The Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi, Texas
The saltwater fishing here is "a little more laid-back," and the catch is redfish, also called red drum - the famed blackened fish of chef Paul Prudhomme. Like the striped bass along the Northeast coast, the redfish population here is rebounding. The prime area is between Rockport and Corpus Christi. The fishing is usually less difficult and less expensive than in the Florida Keys, but "there's not the same infrastructure" of guides, fly shops and fishing aids.

Savage River, Maryland
Two terrific streams are the Gunpowder River near Baltimore-Washington International Airport and - "here's a hot tip" - the Savage, near the West Virginia border. "Gorgeous and remote," it's full of wild brook and brown trout, with "virtually no fishing pressure" (other rod wielders). Rosenbauer also praises the Eastern Shore's Chesapeake Bay for striped-bass fishing.

The Penobscot River and Kennebec River, Maine
Brook trout and landlocked salmon are the prizes in this region of few towns, "hundreds of rivers (and) thousands of ponds." Most of the ponds are owned by paper companies that provide good public access. The west branch of the Penobscot and the Kennebec are particularly good spots: "It's very wild. You'll see 50 moose a day - and lots of black flies." Though there are a few motels, camping is probably your best bet.

Pere Marquette River, Michigan
The Pere Marquette River is best known for its steelhead and Pacific salmon, stocked by the state government in the '60s to reduce the alewife population. "It's amazing to walk along a clear river and see a 30-pound salmon splashing around." Good guides and lodges are plentiful, and the once-overfished "lake trout are coming back. Now there aren't enough alewives to go around!"

Deschutes River, Oregon
The best fishing on this, among the world's most famous and productive rivers for rainbow trout and steelhead, centers on the High Desert area near Bend in the central part of the state. Relatively remote, the big Deschutes runs through a canyon. "It's pretty in a stark way." Rosenbauer notes there are rattlesnakes, "so be careful where you step - but they won't bother you."

Sportfishing Report's Opinion I was disappointed that there weren't more western locations sited. One reason could be the pressure that western fishing locations see. Or, it could be that Mr. Rosenbauer is much more familiar with east coast fishing, just as I am more familiar with west coast fishing. I feel that there are many western locations that should be on your "bucket list" if you are a fisherman: the Trinity, the Klamath, the Truckee, the Pit & I'm sure you can name more. What are your opinions, go to our facebook page, Fly Fishing Reports and let us know what you think.