Angling Anthems and Hunting Hits: 20 Great Country Songs about Hunting and Fishing

1. “Fish” by Craig Campbell

We’re starting off strong with this raunchy tune about an angler’s revelation: his girlfriend loves to fish as much as he does. Campbell playfully, suggestively builds a rhyme scheme driving us toward an explicit punchline, only to undercut it all: “I had everything we needed in the bed of my truck / Turns out my baby loves to FISH!” He pulls off this bawdy country humor with lyrics clever enough to excuse the crudeness (we the listeners are the ones with our heads in the mucky gutter). For an extra chuckle, check out the 2011 music video where a bewildered Campbell strums his guitar knee-deep in pond water. 

2. “Something Fishy” by Dolly Parton

Keeping up with the fishing wordplay, the sixth track off Parton’s debut album casts a suspicious eye on a lover’s fishing excursions. In classic Dolly fashion, the result is lyrically sharp and sure-footed, taking pleasure in its own humor even while addressing the serious subject of an affair. Parton isn’t fooled by her partner’s angling alibi, raising her eyebrows at his empty creel and the lipstick stain on his shirt (“I guess some large-mouth bass left [it],” she quips). Her crackling wit and clear, youthful voice create a country classic full of memorable lines: “There’s something fishy going on / On these fishing trips you’re going on.”

3. “I’m Gonna Miss Her” by Brad Paisley

Paisley has multiple fishing-themed hits, and this humorous number is one of his best. The song about clashing domestic interests starts with a slow, somber description of his partner’s ultimatum: it’s me or the fish. The tempo lifts with a peal of good-natured steel guitar and cymbals, where Paisley’s choice is revealed through the titular punchline: “I’m gonna miss her / When I get home.” Each time Paisley gets anywhere near regret, he becomes distracted by the task at hand: “Oh look-ie there, I’ve got a bite.” We hear you, Brad. The tug truly is the drug — a panacea for even the most acute cases of heartache.

4. “Shut Up and Fish” by Maddie & Tae

The angler in this song and her date have very different ideas for their fishing excursion. Full of lyrical barbs and a sharp hook, the song finds its subject seated with a man less interested in fish than she: “I could tell pretty fast / He had more than just bass on his mind.” Her frustration grows as her date keeps sliding close and reaching for her reeling hand. Finally, she gives voice to her anger with the clear-cut command: “Shut up and fish.” Her companion doesn’t quite get the message, though, and she’s forced to literally throw cold water on the unrequited flame: “Just a little push / Because he couldn’t just shut up and fish.”

5. “Livin’ Part of Life” by Eric Church

Church has a song for every season of life and flicker of emotion; of course this jaunty tune about escaping the daily slog hits the spot. He toys with the iconic image of the “Gone fishing” sign, fashioning a piece of figurative signage to hang “on the door of [his] life.” His solution to the doldrums –– taking himself on a fishing trip –– might sound familiar to any angler who has taken to the water to flee a to-do list. Church hops off the daily hamster wheel and “raises his sail,” safely leaving his troubles ashore. Feeling in need of a similar reset? These guided excursions can launch you into the livin’ part of life.

6. “Blue Marlin Blues” by George Strait

Even the King of Country gets down on his fishing luck. Strait’s bluesy story about an unsuccessful bid at a marlin proves relatable to any thwarted angler. Strait and his buddies set out with high hopes, but after seven hours and nothing to show for it, morale is low. The song features a play-by-play account of his tussle with pure pelagic power: “He knocked it out of the clip / And I fed him some line / I locked it up and I began to wind.” Unfortunately, the scene ends with the fish spitting the bait back in Strait’s direction and disappearing into the depths. The speedy wriggle of his retreating body is mimicked in a neat fiddle lick returning us to the chorus.

7. “Bad Day of Fishin’” by Billy Currington

Conditions are less than ideal for Currington and his companions on the fishing outing in question. The weather refuses to cooperate, and a would-be catch makes off with Currington’s pole. Even so, he remains steadfast in his philosophy: “A bad day of fishing / Beats a good day of anything else.” (Yes, you can buy t-shirts with this slogan.) Currington wonders if he should conform to the rest of the world’s schedule, but decides that “workin’ on a pretty good buzz” is better than working on the clock. Besides, in today’s world of catch-and-release recreation, it’s not the worst outcome that “Tonight’s fish fry is gonna taste like chicken.” 

8. “Don’t It Sound Alright” by Adam Doleac

This breezy, feel-good song proposes the perfect angling date night. Doleac beckons his partner to join him “Where the boat meets the water / Where the sun sinks down on a line and a bobber.” There, he’ll pop a bottle of red wine in a truck bed and revel in the simple things: the sound of the crickets, the clasp of his lover’s hand. Sure, the fishing might be more of a backdrop to the romance, but the song is a reminder that not all fishing dates have to end with someone getting pushed in the water. Simple and slightly saccharine, the lyrics become romantic and even a little touching over the smooth, satisfying melody.

9. “Where I Find God” by Larry Fleet 

In this rousing song about encountering the divine all around him, Fleet stages a serene scene in a boat: “That day out on the water, when the fish just wouldn't bite / I put my pole down, I floated around, it was just so quiet.” In the moment of stillness, he recalls the wisdom of his father: “And I could hear my old man sayin' ‘Son, just be still / 'Cause you can't find peace like this in a bottle or a pill.’" Fleet’s words recall other accounts of enlightenment found while fishing (there’s an exquisite passage on night fishing and the cosmos in Henry David Thoreau’s Walden). You don’t have to be religious to appreciate the image of angling tranquility or Fleet’s later references to finding peace in a deer stand.

10. “Hell of a Way to Go” by Riley Green

Green is a noted outdoorsman, and the passion appears to run in his family. This 2022 release details a conversation, real or imagined, between a father and son, where the father envisions an end to life doing all of his favorite things: sitting on a porch swing with his wife, cheering on the Alabama football team (Roll Tide), or fishing for bass. If he had it his way “when [his] time comes,” he’d be “Sittin' on a lake like glass / Catchin' largemouth bass / Just my boy and me.” The shared experience on the water ranks among the most precious moments in his life, one returned to again and again in each refrain of the chorus. 

1. “Boy and a Bird Dog” by Colby Acuff

Acuff’s song about a boy and his canine hunting companion has a whistling backing track that suits the tale of nostalgic pleasures. At one point the song even switches to first-person lyrics from the perspective of the dog, who loves the hunt as much as his human compatriot. The boy enjoys his bologna sandwiches on a log, while the dog receives ear scratches for retrieving the downed birds. Acuff takes listeners through an age-old outdoor partnership, where the two pass blissful hours in each other’s company. Boy and dog hunt all day, until Mama’s voice calls them back home. “In the morning we’ll do it all over again,” Acuff promises. 

2. “Sawtoothed Jericho” by Pony Bradshaw

A quietly gripping offering from the Mississippi-born artist, Bradshaw’s lyrical landscape feels both mythical and homespun in its portrait of rural life. He describes a hunting dog he bought in Georgia, a “tri-colored Llewelyn six-months trained / Flush him a covey he can run them fields.” Again, the handsome hound is an important companion for the hunt and for the greater goal of living off the land. “Yeah, we like the taste of that bobwhite quail,” Bradshaw repeats over and over, as the song slowly unspools itself. By the time Bradshaw reaches these hunting images, his background strumming has been reduced to a low throb almost like a pounding heartbeat. Within the strange sonic tapestry, the quail hunt has a central, sacred place.

3. “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day” by Luke Bryan

Bryan’s iconic 2015 hit covers all the bases of a good life outdoors (fun fact: it was the longtime walk-up song of South Carolina native and retired Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner.) The irresistible tune has become a kind of outdoor anthem –– the “Keep Calm and Carry On” of the avid outdoorsman. The lyrics keep things simple, with descriptions of days that start with black coffee and end with dark whiskey. (On online discussion boards, there’s some debate about whether the aluminum boat Bryan references is a Murphy or a Mercury.) The song is an ode to the outdoors and to the country gal who “throws her boots on and climbs in a tree,” ready to join him in his outdoor endeavors.

4. “The Bird Hunters” by Turnpike Troubadours

This fiddle-heavy ballad from the Oklahoma-born country outfit swirls with nostalgia. The lilting rhythm carries a story of heartache; during a bird hunt with a childhood friend, a man can only think of his lost love. The lyrics are striking and spare –– he stands with “hands around a Belgian made Browning” and “[His] mind on the lines of [his lost love’s] face.” They’re joined by an “old English pointer,” who once belonged to the man before he left home. A rich backstory –– a move to the city, a romance at a rodeo, a solitary return  –– gradually unfolds. At the end of the day’s hunt, the childhood friend suggests they try to “kick up a single or two” while there’s still light. “How good does it feel? You belong in these hills,” he chides his downcast companion. Between the “flutter of feathers” and the flutter of the man’s heart, the song tells an emotional tale of hunting while one’s mind wanders elsewhere.

5. “Dirt Cheap” by Cody Johnson

Another moving song about bridging the past and present, Johnson’s narrative finds an aging cotton-crop farmer explaining to land developers why he can’t sell his property. Along with the many precious memories held in the dirt, the man feels loyal to the old hunting dog buried beneath an oak tree: “Lasted 13 huntin' seasons runnin' strong / Keep your money 'cause a man can't leave his dog,” he tells them. Later, the song offers a flash of those many seasons: “Freezin' in a Jon boat / Me and him, double-barrel and a two-stroke.” As part of this collage of a life on the land, the recollections of a good hunting companion give the song the emotional depth of a country classic.

6. “Huntin’ by Yourself” by Luke Combs

The third song on Combs’ latest album fits in with the more emotional hunting tunes. He details the excitement and chaos of a first hunt with his son –– the imperfect details that make it all the more memorable. He snaps a photo of his kid in his Mossy Oak camouflage, before the boy falls asleep on the truck ride to the blind. “He moves too much and he talks too loud,” Combs confesses. Even so, he doesn’t mind the disruption, knowing that the sweet shared experience is fleeting. “Even if it's just time we're killin' / It's never felt more like livin',” he sings, grateful to witness his son’s childhood. Before he knows it, he’ll be “hunting by [himself] again.” Listen with tissues at hand.

7. “Huntin’ Season” by Mackenzie Carpenter

With a more humorous spin on the hunting tune, Carpenter’s upbeat track reveals a secret reason for loving hunting season: with her partner gone, she’s blissfully left to her own devices. She uses the opportunity to binge her favorite reality TV and meet her friends for therapeutic talks about their feelings. Her boyfriend is totally unaware of the pleasure she takes in his absence; in fact, he “thinks it’s hot how [she’s] supportive” and promises her he’ll be back before she knows it. With its galloping beat and jangly tamborine, this fun number from a rising country star is full of hunting wordplay, including the punny hook: “No, you ain't the only one been waitin' all year / Oh dear, I do love huntin' season.”

8. “Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy” by Don Williams

Williams’ 1991 classic looks back on a simple, rugged youth (Josh Turner’s sonorous 2006 cover is also worth a listen). The song remembers days of barefoot wandering, when the titular country boy was armed only with a “.22 rifle and a fishing pole.” In these glowing years, Williams would “hunt the wild turkey and the bobwhite quail” and tie his fishing lines to the branch of a willow tree. The latter portion of the song laments the development and industry that have since disrupted the pristine landscape. The tune carries a reminder to all outdoorsmen: their adventures only exist as long as these natural habitats are protected.

9. “Jeffrey’s Hell” by The Boxcars

This bluegrass ballad has all the elements of a good country ghost story: a man, a lantern, and a lost hunting dog. “Huntin’s awful hard / If you ain’t got a dog,” begins the ill-fated tale of a man named Jeffrey. At the song’s start, Jeffrey owns one of the best hounds, only to lose him one full-moon night out treeing racoons. Jeffrey sets out in search of the dog, never to return. Legend has it, his ghost still roams the holler, just a pinprick of light and a lonesome wail on the breeze. Maybe hold off on listening after sundown, but “Jeffrey’s Hell” is a spooky country staple.

10. “Drinkin’ Beer and Wastin’ Bullets” by Luke Bryan

Another early classic from Bryan, this song from 2009 features the unfussy rhyming that defines many of his songs. “Drinkin’ Beer” finds him on a slow day of deer hunting: “Sittin’ here, waiting on a deer, drinkin' beer and wastin' bullets”. It’s a set-up similar to the chorus of his more mournful “Drink a Beer,” but we’ll forgive him that (plus, it’s actually Chris Stapleton who has songwriting credit on that one.) The tune about an uneventful hunting outing shows the hours of idleness between any action in the woods. In these spells of listlessness the endurance element of the sport reveals itself. Bryan may be wasting bullets, but time spent hunting is never time wasted.

Across their many stories and scenes from out in the open, these country songs pay homage to the icons, imagery, and emotions of outdoor pursuits. Use them to set the tone for your next AnyCreek excursion or transport yourself afield (even when you’re stuck at your desk).Turning up the volume on these hunting and angling anthems returns our minds to the woods and waters, no matter where we may be.