Best States To Live In For Bass Fishing 2025
dam0007 reply :
What states are known for most lakes, best producing lakes, and best year round fishing in general? I live in CT and plan on moving in the next 3-5 years. I'm 31, ticked about these draconian gun laws and (just filed my taxes) sick of paying $0.60 on the dollar in taxes. Off of the above reasons I prefer Texas off the bat but would like to know the fishing scene too. Articles in magazines and websites only share so much info. Any responses to this are appreciated.
Vzwire reply :
Florida. They don't call it the "Fishing capital of the world" for nothing.
And... No state or grocery tax.
Dwight Hottle reply :
I think Lake Erie is the best for trophy smallies. That includes Ohio, PA and NY states. For largemouth I would pick TX first & Fl second.
tomustang reply :
Louisiana, then you could drive to either TX or FL
basseditor reply :
Texas is as big as 5-6 states combined. No matter the time of year you can fish somewhere. But many lakes are suffering from drought. It goes in cycles.
There are enough lakes that the variety is great.
You never know when the next hook set could be 10lb.
A-Jay reply :
Brown Bass = Erie
Green Bass = Sinaloa (Think further south)
A-Jay
flyfisher reply :
States with no income tax generally make up for it elsewhere like in FL's case, property taxes but the public school systems suck down there but i digress.
If i had to pick a state i would go with florida. lots of different lakes to choose from and then there is also the salt too. I am still trying to talk my fiancee to move down there but she won't go that far away from her family....
Darren. reply :
Texa-flori-cali-ginia.
FishinDaddy reply :
81 degrees today...
5 months of spawners...
7700 lakes larger than 10 acres...
663 miles of beaches with nearly naked women on them all year round...
giggity reply :
My first post here is going to be a little love for my state of Michigan. I am 5 minutes from Lake St. Clair and 1 hour from Lake Erie. The year round fishing would be if you are into ice fishing though.
RoLo reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 10:15 AM, flyfisher said:States with no income tax generally make up for it elsewhere like in FL's case, property taxes but the public school systems suck down there but i digress.
If i had to pick a state i would go with florida. lots of different lakes to choose from and then there is also the salt too. I am still trying to talk my fiancee to move down there but she won't go that far away from her family....
Like anywhere USA, property taxes do rise as you approach either coast.
They're high in West Palm Beach on the Atlantic coast, and they're high in Naples on the Gulf coast.
As you move inland though, the scenery improves, the terrain begins to gently roll and property taxes decline.
Roger
A-Jay reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 10:46 AM, giggity said:My first post here is going to be a little love for my state of Michigan. I am 5 minutes from Lake St. Clair and 1 hour from Lake Erie. The year round fishing would be if you are into ice fishing though.
Welcome to BR ~
From the Tip of the Mitt.
A-Jay
dam0007 reply :
Property taxes right now my 1300 sq/ft house $8,800, my jeep $1,690, my fiances jetta $790. Filled my tank last night $4.19/gal for 89. My buddy in Houston house is 2,200 sq/ft taxes were $2,100 and as far as I know no car property taxes.On 2/25/2014 at 10:52 AM, RoLo said:Like anywhere USA, property taxes do rise as you approach either coast.
They're high in West Palm Beach on the Atlantic coast, and they're high in Naples on the Gulf coast.
As you move inland though, the scenery improves, the terrain begins to roll gently and property taxes fall.
Roger
Dwight Hottle reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 10:52 AM, RoLo said:Like anywhere USA, property taxes do rise as you approach either coast.
They're high in West Palm Beach on the Atlantic coast, and they're high in Naples on the Gulf coast.
As you move inland though, the scenery improves, the terrain begins to roll gently and property taxes fall.
Roger
Now you tell me.
RoLo reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 10:59 AM, dam0007 said:Property taxes right now my 1300 sq/ft house $8,800, my jeep $1,690, my fiances jetta $790. Filled my tank last night $4.19/gal for 89. My buddy in Houston house is 2,200 sq/ft taxes were $2,100 and as far as I know no car property taxes.
We're living in a new fee-simple 1,700 sq ft block-home in an adult community
between Scenic Hwy & Hatchineha Rd. Our property tax is $600 a year (plus $200 for garbage & recycling).
Roger
AK-Jax86 reply :
Florida... I have never been to California but would love to fish for those giant trout eaters out there and the extra circulars would be nice too 
RoLo reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 11:00 AM, Dwight Hottle said:Now you tell me.
Cum on, you'd never leave those gargantuan bronzebacks 
Darren. reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 10:46 AM, giggity said:My first post here is going to be a little love for my state of Michigan. I am 5 minutes from Lake St. Clair and 1 hour from Lake Erie. The year round fishing would be if you are into ice fishing though.
With that, welcome to the forums!
basseditor reply :
I'm near Austin Texas. No property taxes on vehicles or boats. Registration is about 65-70/yr. My house is $4400/yr in property tax. 2200 sq. feet. 6 year old house. No state income tax.
Sales tax is 8.25 %. Cost of living is reasonable. 4.5% unemployment rate. Lots of jobs right now but home prices are going to climb. So many people coming here.
5 hours north to Fork, 4-5 south to Amistad and Falcon, 6-7 hours east to Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend. 3-4 hours southeast to the Gulf Coast.
And 17 other lakes in two hour radius. Several of which produce 10 pounders regularly. Five bass, 43 pound limit was first place in a 125 boat field Saturday at Lake Austin.
WRB reply :
The heart land of bass fishing is Arkansas, Alabama and Texas. Hard to best Texas if cost of living and good bass fishing is your goal, plus good employment opportunities. The down side is the state is full of Texans.
California has good trophy bass fishing, however unmanged, high taxes, high unemployment, high cost of living, the best climate of any state, low water levels and no bugs. CA is called the left coast because it's full of bleeding heart democrats.
Texas is your best bet for good bass fishing.
Tom
flyingmonkie reply :
Oklahoma!!! The eastern half is loaded with beautiful lakes, and cost of living here is dirt cheap. We also have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation and were recently voted the most "recession proof" state. Tulsa is a great city with several AWESESOME lakes, including last year's Classic lake, within an hour drive.
Where I'm at, on the other hand, isn't that great. I would love to either be in the NE, or SE corner of the state.
Geographic fact, Oklahoma has almost 56,000 miles of freshwater shoreline. I grew up hearing this was more than any other state, but Minnesota has us beat.
Catt reply :
14 top Bassmaster & FLW Pro have moved to Texas!
Paul Elias 4 day total 132 lbs 8 ozs
100 Best Bass Lake of 2013, 9 are in the state of Texas, 3 of the top 10
Lucky Craft Man reply :
I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned Tennessee. That maybe the only state where you would have a shot at a double digit Largemouth and Smallmouth (though, a very very remote chance, but a chance none-the-less).
Loop_Dad reply :
Texas sounds nice! 
I've been stuck in where I am for many years due to personal reasons. However that will end soon and I'll be 'free man'. I was thinking about moving to different part within the state, but this thread got me thinking about possibility of going to somewhere totally different and better.
BigBassBarry reply :
1a texas
1b Florida
California would be 2 if it did not have such a high cost of living but since it does it's not on my list.
2a Alabama
2b Oklahoma
2c georgia
3a arkansas
3b Missouri
MacP reply :
Suprised no one said Tennessee yet.
Lowest Taxes in the country. Some of the highest quality of living for your dollar of anywhere in the country.
Dale Hollow for Smallies, Chick, Pickwick, Douglas and Kentucky Lake for Bass.
By this list, Texas wins.
http://www.bassmaster.com/news/100-best-bass-lakes-2013
wisconsin heat reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 11:51 AM, flyingmonkie said:Geographic fact, Oklahoma has almost 56,000 miles of freshwater shoreline. I grew up hearing this was more than any other state, but Minnesota has us beat.
Wouldn't you think Wisconsin and Michigan are higher as well? Wisconsin is full of natural lakes, has the Mississippi running down the length of the state, as well as a large portion surrounded by Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The state of Michigan is well, a peninsula, surrounded by Great Lakes on three sides, the UP has a lot of shoreline as well.
To answer the original post, best state for bass fishing?
Not Wisconsin. I love fishing here, and there are a lot of opportunities for largemouth, smallmouth, and other species like walleye, pike, muskie, sturgeon, and other great game fish. But the fishing season is SO SHORT. Fishing season for bass and most gamefish is the first Saturday of May until the ice is on, which is sometimes as early as November, and fishing can get really, really tough in October, and 6-7 months of bass fishing is just not enough 
.
Bankbeater reply :
The southwest corner of Mo. has several nice lakes, and good scenery to make up for it when the bite is slow.
coots reply :
Well, I guess I'll go against the grain here BUT... I'm going Alabama!
You guys can keep your no-taxes, blah blah blah. My little nook town on Lake Guntersville is a quiet, everyone knows everyone place where it's 5 minutes from, in a lot of people's opinions, the best fisheries in the country.
My taxes aren't bad, I don't pay taxes on boat, car per year... you pay taxes when you buy them but not "property" tax, I don't reckon I'll ever have to worry about my 2A rights ever being trampled on within my state and yes we have cold weather, but it's bearable. We get "snow" maybe once a year... but it's usually every couple of years. You're within driving distance of Atlanta... Chattanooga..... Birmingham... Gatlinburg.... and the beach is a day drive away (6 1/2 hours).
So y'all go on and take it elsewhere, this ol' country boy is going to go to work and drive by the water the pros just got off of for the Bassmaster Classic!
starcraft1 reply :
Being 4th gen. from California you'd think I'd say out here.South Oregon is what I'd tell you. No sales tax, my friend pays MUCH LESS in prop. tax than I do, example: he has the same amount of land as I and his house is 600+ sq. ft. larger than mine and his taxes are 500+ less than mine. As far as fishing? 5 trophy bass lakes within 25 miles of Grants pass, Rouge river for salmon, steelhead, small jaws, and some of the biggest clear water catfish you've ever seen. Most importantly, the people are great! "Be a good person, we'll treat you that way" If you hunt, turkey, deer, elk, west coast fly zone - geese & ducks. Tried (and still trying) to talk my wife into moving there. Her response, "it rains to much there" Oh yea, no drought season. Also they have signs every where 12"H X 18" W that say it all, "VOTE NO" they vote no on everything. Like I said, GREAT PEOPLE! Thank god my buddy moved there some 9 yrs. ago, my escape!
rabidsquirrel reply :
Florida... Taxes are low, with quality fisheries everywhere, plus saltwater fishing if you get bored with freshwater.
Louisiana... It's just more fun there.
bostonsox2904 reply :
Florida is great. The shore fishing opportunities can't be beat w/ all of our canals.
FrogFreak reply :
My vote is to summer in Minnesota and winter in FL. I know there are great lakes down south but when I go to my lake pace, I am 25 minutes away from 30 different lakes that all hold 4-5 pound bass. But the best part is that there isn't any boat traffic on most of the lakes. The hardest decision I have to make is which lake to fish on a given day. I get grumpy if there's one boat on the ramp when I get there! I live on the Eastern edge of North Dakota. Look up the stas on our state. We have a massive budget surplus, we are the number 2 oil producing state, we have very low unemployment and the people here are some down to earth folks. No crazy liberal politics that may hurt the outdoorsman. Yep, I would say spend the summer in MN and the winter in FL if you can afford it.
Amarley reply :
Kentucky is great. Very low cost of living in most cities and 6% state income tax. I live in Southern Kentucky, about an hour north of Nashville. I'm two hours away from Kentucky and Barkley lakes, an hour and half from Dale Hollow, two hours from Douglas and Norris, two hours from Cumberland, plus I have about 5-7 other great bass lakes within an hour and half drive. I'm also 4 hours from the Alabama lakes. Good climate most of the year. I'm happy here. If I had my choice, I'd live here or northern Alabama.
TJS209 reply :
Tennessee.
BridgerM reply :
I can't believe no one has mentioned Utah yet. Sure, you can talk unemployment, tax, cost of living and other stats but this is about bass. If you don't want to catch a world record bass or even have a reasonable chance of a double digit bucket mouth, then this is the place! Here are our state record bass
Wbeadlescomb reply :
Alabama should be on your list. I live in tuscaloosa in the center part of the state. Nicest people you've ever met been to Missouri duck hunting everyone we ran across was a peckerhead once we got up that way. I'm 2 hours from any lake on the Tennessee river. Alabama, tombigbee,and coosa rivers are an hour away the warrior runs thru the middle of tuscaloosa. There's more variety In fishing than you can imagine within 30 miles of the university (center of town) you can catch 5+lb spotted bass in deep clear water. Drive thirty minutes to the east and you can catch big largemouth In shallow swampy backwater. I know of two 10's and a 15-1 one caught within an hour of tuscaloosa last year
Missourifishin reply :
On 2/26/2014 at 1:38 AM, Wbeadlescomb said:Nicest people you've ever met been to Missouri duck hunting everyone we ran across was a peckerhead once we got up that way
Must be some cultural differences. I know Missouri people who say the same thing about Alabama.
RoLo reply :
South Dakota & Delaware
Oh wait a second, you said "Best States" 
Wbeadlescomb reply :
On 2/26/2014 at 2:18 AM, Missourifishin said:Must be some cultural differences. I know Missouri people who say the same thing about Alabama.
I opened the door for a couple of people and they looked at me like I had two heads. I will say south eastern Missouri wasn't bad.
dam0007 reply :
So have been doing a little job research. Pay compare to here. Obviously Id have to move where I can secure a job.
Jobs in my field
-Texas Pay 30-40% higher than CT
-Oklahoma Pay -15% lower than CT
-Florida Pay -30% lower than CT
-North Dakota Pay 190-215% higher than CT
-Utah -20% lower than CT
Plus side is all states are Gun friendly
Also just saw Gov Perry of TX just recently passed a infastructure improvement bill. I work in public water supply. There are literally tens of thousands of jobs in TX in my field. Hopefully I can make a move in 1-2 years.
Thanks for all the posts!
geo g reply :
1).Florida
2).Florida
3).Florida
Not only do you have great bass fishing year round, with hundreds of lakes, and the Glades, but you are surrounded by the Ocean and all it holds and don't forget the Keys. No other state can match that! The Fishing Capital of the World!
mkfriedrich reply :
Cali is a very great place to fish. But extremely tough! The lakes are so pressured, and honestly there isn't a presentation/bait they haven't seen. But your chances of getting a double digit fish are extremely high. Some of the biggest bass are caught right here in San Diego county. Im from mississippi, and i must say its a great fishery too. Small ponds everywhere that hold a lot of fish. Florida is a great place also. But i must say, Cali has to be number one, for quality. The southern states will come in second for quantity.
pbrussell reply :
Not Kansas.
roadwarrior reply :
Well, if we are talking size, the big fish states are FL, GA, TX and CA.
RoLo reply :
On 2/26/2014 at 3:44 AM, roadwarrior said:Well, if we are talking size, the big fish states are FL, GA, TX and CA.
That's what I meant to say 
mjseverson24 reply :
I personally would spend summers in the Midwest (MN, WI, IL,MI,OH) and I would do the colder months down in TX. Missouri also looks like a great place for fishing. It is hard to beat MN in the summer, I have over 15 lakes over 1500 Acres within and hour of my home and 8+ of them are serious tournament waters, that see tournament of up to 50 boats. Most days especially during the week the public ramp is almost empty, and catching 50-100 bass in a day is pretty "normal". to have a chance in a mn tournament you need at least a 3lb average for 8 fish, the top spots like Minnetonka require bags up over 4lb averages to win. The winters suck big time though...
Mitch
Dwight Hottle reply :
On 2/26/2014 at 3:44 AM, roadwarrior said:Well, if we are talking size, the big fish states are FL, GA, TX and CA.
That covers the green fish but not the brownies.
roadwarrior reply :
I think you have a lock on brownies. We ocassionally might catch a bigger
smallmouth down here, but your numbers and average size is unbeatable.
As a comparison, my best day ever was 15 smalljaws including 8 over 5lbs.
Dwight and his friends often have 50-100 fish days that i would hazard to
guess average weights of 4-6lbs. I would take those numbers any day!
Dwight Hottle reply :
The midwestern states that borders the great lakes do have pretty consistant smallie fishing. Having a winter home in Texas or Fl would be the best of both worlds if you could swing it.
stratoliner92 reply :
I lived in FL for several years and loved it!! Very diverse freshwater fishing and salt to enjoy...
WdyCrankbait reply :
Louisiana
Go fishing, then some crawfish, gumbo, jambalaya and your favorite beverage! Rinse and repeat!
bartdude186 reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 10:59 AM, dam0007 said:Property taxes right now my 1300 sq/ft house $8,800, my jeep $1,690, my fiances jetta $790. Filled my tank last night $4.19/gal for 89. My buddy in Houston house is 2,200 sq/ft taxes were $2,100 and as far as I know no car property taxes.
I would already be gone haha.
gobig reply :
There are a several things about California I don't like but fishing is not one of them. I live in Northern California and our fisheries have exploded. For instance last year there were tournaments at Clearlake where 30lbs wouldn't even get ya a check. The Delta had some giant bags pushing the 40 lb mark. Malones and Bullards are kicking out 25-30 lb bags of spots. Berryessa is a trifecta with bags brown fish, green fish and spots all over the 20 lb mark with largemouth going closer to 30 lbs. Pardee also has some giant brown fish. My best team bag last year was a seven fish limit going 47.83 lbs and my best personal 5 fish bag was 33.10 lbs. My big fish last year was 10.2 lbs.
bmac31 reply :
Dont forget the CT winters lol! I know how you feel except I dont think id ever leave. Too many roots. Where abouts are you, im just outside new haven.
Oregon Native reply :
Do love the California fishing and miss it but not enough to live there. Feel the same for the mighty Columbia River and it's smallies. Now living in east Tennessee there are more lakes that I can fish decent within four hours than I can shake a stick at not too mention all the ones under an hour. (live in Knoxville) Chickamaga, Guntersville, Douglas, Norris, Watts Barr to just name a few.
Good luck
Lasher reply :
On 2/26/2014 at 8:57 PM, Oregon Native said:Now living in east Tennessee there are more lakes that I can fish decent within four hours than I can shake a stick at not too mention all the ones under an hour. (live in Knoxville) Chickamaga, Guntersville, Douglas, Norris, Watts Barr to just name a few.
Good luck
Ding Ding Ding. 4 seasons, nice people, low cost of living, lots of water both lakes and streams, low taxes, beautiful scenery, easy drive to lakes. Send your wife to Asheville NC to the Biltmore House and you will have brownie points to fish for a year. I know we don't have the big lunkers of FL and TX but from a pure fisherman's prospective, east Tennessee is the best I know of. You can say what you want about TX but my friend lives there and he fighting like hell to get out citing 49 consecutive days over 100 degrees. If your moving from CT, the idea of warmer weather sounds good, until you get what you wish for.
See Ott Defoe, David Walker, Brandon Card, and few other pros
Grizzn N Bassin reply :
When i get older.*Im pretyy sure ill be down south living on private lake so i can bass fish all year.
Raul reply :
One of these days I´m going to retire and move to ----> TAMAULIPAS !
Loop_Dad reply :
I'm considering a move to Austin. I posted to a local forum asking how the fishing is. Check out what kind of responses I got. And I thought I was just posting to a fishing froum.
http://www.austinbassfishing.com/forum/black-bass-fishing-reports/41352-how-fishing-austin.html
SirSnookalot reply :
Don't come to Florida, weather stinks, over crowded, small fish that don't fight too hard. I'll suffer thru it.
blongfishing reply :
Georgia
bigbill reply :
My brother from ct sit back relax. We're also high paid salary wise too.
There is still some of the best bass fishing here if we look for it. My PB is 10# and I seen bigger and lost two bigger bass. I fish mainly small places from shore. If I'm seeing bigger bass in the few small places I fish at then every body of water has big bass. Think about it there was a big bass that was caught as far north as Maine. My thoughts are if we have big bass as far as Maine and here in ct then it runs all the way south too it has too. The big bass are in every state on the east coast. What's been caught proves it. The bigger bass are smart so there not being caught so easy.
When I was fishing in the evenings I caught smaller bass in size up to 3# to 4# with lots of 1 1/2# to 2# too. But the spot is hot and crowded. When I switched to early mornings fishing from dark to 9am. The bass got a lot bigger. This tells me the early mornings is the time to fish when no one is there. Just be quiet and stealthy.
Don't move yet start fishing heavy.
bigbill reply :
Wasn't the record LMB caught in Georgia? Not Florida? My theory holds true.
Start fishing heavy. The best bass fishing is in your backyard.
Loop_Dad reply :
On 3/13/2014 at 11:16 PM, bigbill said:Wasn't the record LMB caught in Georgia? Not Florida? My theory holds true.
Start fishing heavy. The best bass fishing is in your backyard.
Hey bigbill, if your comment is addressed to me, I 'm not considering moving only for fishing. Sadly I still have to work.
bigbill reply :
I'd be interested in moving to New Zealand the trout fishing capital of the world.
I'm not rich but I squirreled enough money away to live within my means in any country in the world. Due to my poor health I'm stuck here at home. Alaska the last frontier looks like an awesome place to homestead, farm, fish and live off the land.
Fish Murderer 71 reply :
East Texas! I live 2 hours from Sam Rayburn, 45 minutes from Lake Fork, 15 minutes from Palestine, 2.5 hours from Toledo Bend, and have several smaller lakes that produce nice bass all within an hour. Theres plenty of jobs for qualified people. You gonna pay Uncle Sam anywhere you live. Schools are bettter in some places than others. Hope ya dont mind the heat, cause it gets HOT!!!
tiredbobmarley reply :
You can never beat Florida....so much water, so little time.
blacklabbob reply :
Tennessee. State Sales tax 7%, my county 2 3/4 %. No income tax. My property tax on 2000 sq. ft 1996 home on two acres, extra 2 car garage and large storage shed is $540/ year. No taxes on vehicles. Trailers are not registered unless taken out of non-contiguous states. Lots of bass, stripers, catfish etc.
pitchin fool reply :
Minnesota....LAND OF 10,000+ LAKES!!! NUFF SAID!
J Francho reply :
Despite the winters, where I am located is pretty good spot for northeastern bass fishing. Well over two dozen lakes within a 2 hour drive.
Raul reply :
Texas, southern Texas, to make it even tighter, Texas bordering Mexico: Falcon, Amistad, Choke Canyon on the US, Sugar Lake, Guerrero in Mexico, South Padre Island for saltwater fishing.
G8RBob reply :
If you like good freshwater and saltwater fishing, low taxes and lousy schools, choose Florida. On the other hand, don't come to Florida. We are already overpopulated. Try Minnesota, please. :>
TC235 <*))))>< reply :
Woulden't call it the best but, MASS has some great fishing. Find the right places and they can contend with alot of other places. Especially living in the south shore cape area. So many ponds to fish!
Alonerankin2 reply :
Florida....Kentucky... Tennessee
Brnnoser6983 reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 9:34 AM, dam0007 said:What states are known for most lakes, best producing lakes, and best year round fishing in general? I live in CT and plan on moving in the next 3-5 years. I'm 31, ticked about these draconian gun laws and (just filed my taxes) sick of paying $0.60 on the dollar in taxes. Off of the above reasons I prefer Texas off the bat but would like to know the fishing scene too. Articles in magazines and websites only share so much info. Any responses to this are appreciated.
Well if you can deal with the weather changes that range from the -20's (Down to -40's in some spots) in the winter to over 100 in the summer come up to Minnesota. You can find several great lakes to fish on, and a lot of them can be found within the Twin Cities alone. If you want to take a 2-4 hr trip up north you will find great deep cold water lakes for bass, Walleye, northern, and musky.
If you want to fish in the winter knock yourself out. Ice fishing can be "Fun" Personally not my idea of fun when you sit on the ice jigging, but hey some others love it,
Plus you can include the northern (or southern) part of the state for hunting. Great Deer, and bear hunting. Duck hunting is starting to migrate to the east towards the Dakotas. We also have wolf hunting here as well.
BassObsessed reply :
On 3/14/2014 at 4:24 AM, tiredbobmarley said:You can never beat Florida....so much water, so little time.
I agree. I'm on vacation down here and have caught 2 bass over 10lbs in less than 5 days. I would have to put Florida at or very close to the top.
jkroosz reply :
The focus on cost of living has effected replies to the topic. As I see it, my opinion on just fishing would be a state where multi species can be targeted. I live in ny and accessing Lake George and Champlain within an hours drive is the best.
The cost of being an outdoorsman is unrelenting, but will not interfere with enjoying the beauty of the area I live in. I rarely think about taxes whilst reeling in a slounch.
The government will get their percentage, just add it to the unit cost of fish caught.
Catt reply :
Since 2011 40% of all jobs created in America wasin the state of Texas.
bighed reply :
For cost of living comparison, my new, decked out 2600 sq ft home on an acre in a very nice area on the outskirts of Dallas, 2 miles from a boat ramp was $245k last year. Property taxes are 5k a year, electric averages $175 a month, trash is $15 a month, $60 for each car a year, $50 for a boat every other year, no state income tax. Many, many good lakes within a 90 mile drive including Fork, Texoma, Ray Roberts, Lavon, Hubbard, etc. The gulf is 5 hours away with great snapper and tuna fishing. I love it here but think I might feel the same in the Carolinas or GA. I'd love the hills and trees since we don't have much of either in my area. Would love Florida I think since I'd enjoy the sw stuff so much but not sure I'd fit in with the population to well. I doubt I'll ever leave since all my family is here but I think about it sometimes.
Taylor Peterson reply :
Minnesota if you're up for the cold/ icefishing in the winter. Not the biggest bass here but you're never more than 5 minutes from a lake!
Catt reply :
Dean Rojas
Gary Klein
Denny Brauer
Jay Yelas
Takahiro Omori
Shin Fukae
Gary Yamamoto
Ben Matsubu
Wanna guess what these Pros have in common?
Yelp they all moved to Texas!
Nitrofreak reply :
I don't know if the tax's outweigh the fishing here in Va. we too have a lake the pro circuit uses as one of their many stops which is Smith Mountain Lake also we have the Potomac River which is also one of their stops .
Although we seem to be taxed for everything , it's a manageable taxation , I myself am close to being centrally located to any large body of water with a TON of areas that are centrally located , ie, river systems , creeks , ponds , and other smaller but fun fisheries , stocked with all kinds of fishing , bass , trout , basically all the fun one could ask for .
I love the idea of being secluded from society , but I also love being closer to waters that I would like to frequent , Va. has a lot to offer in the way of fishing , no doubt we are not a world record setting state by any means , yet it does offer a lot of really great fishing , and in a lot of cases , year round fishing .
starcraft1 reply :
Being from California I should say here, but my option would be Texas. Reason is they don't have a bunch of democrats trying to get rid of bass, they encourage the sport!
FishinDaddy reply :
83 degrees today. Just sayin
joeyfishes reply :
Just like they say, everything is bigger in Texas! The finest bass fishing lake in my opinion in the state is Lake Austin, about 30 minutes away from me. In fact, I have a tournament there this Saturday. A ShareLunker was pulled out today, weighed 13.8
About a month ago, a tournament was held there and the winning stringer was 41 pounds.
SirSnookalot reply :
Taxes and politics aside and not employed by the chamber or commerce I'd suggest not coming to Florida. We have heat, humidity and bugs, with lots of people in congested areas. A good portion of the population lives within 15 miles of a coast the bigger emphasis is saltwater fishing. We do have some excellent urban fishing, not a lot of places you can walk 100 yds to your backyard canal with the opportunity of an 8# bass. Quite honestly if one is hardcore bass fisherman from the heartland of the country, there are better places to go than s/e Florida.
plumworm reply :
Not a single vote for Wisconsin. Lets see, Minn. make their claim of 10,000 lakes, We have 14,000 named lakes. We have Lake Superior, great smallmouth fishing and trout and walleye and perch. The Mississippi, (the best multi species fishing hole in the US) Elites here the last two years. Green Bay, smallies and walleye and perch and musky, Elites here two years ago. We have 1000s of miles of trout streams, Super salmon fishing on Lake Michigan. Super walleye runs on many rivers. Spring run rainbow trout fishing on about 25 rivers. Sturgeon fishing. Fantastic runs of white bass. Oh, did I mention that we have 14,000 lakes that provide all the panfish you can eat. Oh, again, did I mention that Wisconsin is the Musky fishing capital of the world. Yes, the winters can be long, but we have deer and grouse and turkey and bear and pheasant and wolf and coyote and woodcock and rabbit and dove and wild boar and goose and ducks to hunt. And a whole lot of folks really love to ice fish. Did I mention we also make beer and cheese here. No, I am not a paid lobbyist. Peace.
fish365 reply :
On 2/26/2014 at 4:49 AM, roadwarrior said:I think you have a lock on brownies. We ocassionally might catch a bigger
smallmouth down here, but your numbers and average size is unbeatable.
As a comparison, my best day ever was 15 smalljaws including 8 over 5lbs.
Dwight and his friends often have 50-100 fish days that i would hazard to
guess average weights of 4-6lbs. I would take those numbers any day!
Our smallies are catchable all winter. Besides Dale Hollow, most of the Tennessee River chain and TVA Lakes Douglas, Cherokee, South Holston typically take 20-25 lbs to win a tournament in the dead of winter
NWBassGuy reply :
Being from So Cal and fishing Casitas...kinda cool but not a lot of lakes in the area....limited. I'm in WA now and love it. So many small bodies of water that hold bass within an hours drive...incredible. I have a hard time choosing. I love the attraction of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, and Florida for largemouth. Fishing in Arizona in the Phoenix area at the end of this month. Keep getting told how great it is to live there. I have my doubts. Can't deny some of the Northern states for smallies as well as largemouth. I've fished Alabama and love the state. I could live there. I've fished Oklahoma and Arkansas, fished Wisconsin. Fishing was awesome. I have a place to live in Wisconsin if I want. From a fishing standpoint...can't go wrong with just about anywhere depending on what you target. A lot of people have put out facts of living i.e. taxes, cost of living, employment. That makes a HUGE difference. Vacationing and fishing in a place is one thing...living there...is all together different. No real answer but good luck on your decision
hatrix reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 12:17 PM, Lucky Craft Man said:I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned Tennessee. That maybe the only state where you would have a shot at a double digit Largemouth and Smallmouth (though, a very very remote chance, but a chance none-the-less).
I am going to have to say Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York would have a better chance at catching a double digit in both colors. The Great Lakes are to good especially Erie.
J Francho reply :
Not double digit big. Yet. The biggest green fish I've heard of being caught in the last 15 years, from a reputable source, is a little over 9 lbs. and I believe that was in CT. You can check the records for brown fish. Most are around 8.
everythingthatswims reply :
On 2/26/2014 at 1:20 AM, BridgerM said:
I can't believe no one has mentioned Utah yet. Sure, you can talk unemployment, tax, cost of living and other stats but this is about bass. If you don't want to catch a world record bass or even have a reasonable chance of a double digit bucket mouth, then this is the place! Here are our state record bass
Species Year Weight LengthLargemouth 1974 10 lb 2 oz 24 1/4Smallmouth 1996 7 lb 6 oz 22Sarcasm aside, We have many good smallie and LM waters within 2 hours or less from Salt Lake City. And Lake Powell and Mead about 6 hours away, with good striper fishing too. Considering Utah is known for 'the greatest snow on earth' the fishing here is pretty good.
If I lived in Utah I would scoff at bass and become a fly fishing purist haha
everythingthatswims reply :
On 3/31/2014 at 10:41 PM, Nitrofreak said:I don't know if the tax's outweigh the fishing here in Va. we too have a lake the pro circuit uses as one of their many stops which is Smith Mountain Lake also we have the Potomac River which is also one of their stops .
Although we seem to be taxed for everything , it's a manageable taxation , I myself am close to being centrally located to any large body of water with a TON of areas that are centrally located , ie, river systems , creeks , ponds , and other smaller but fun fisheries , stocked with all kinds of fishing , bass , trout , basically all the fun one could ask for .
I love the idea of being secluded from society , but I also love being closer to waters that I would like to frequent , Va. has a lot to offer in the way of fishing , no doubt we are not a world record setting state by any means , yet it does offer a lot of really great fishing , and in a lot of cases , year round fishing .
I agree with you completely, while we may not have any world renowned fisheries (except for chesapeake stripers), there are a TON of options when you look at species to target and the bodies of water to target them in
bigbill reply :
On 3/29/2014 at 7:27 AM, Brnnoser6983 said:Well if you can deal with the weather changes that range from the -20's (Down to -40's in some spots) in the winter to over 100 in the summer come up to Minnesota. You can find several great lakes to fish on, and a lot of them can be found within the Twin Cities alone. If you want to take a 2-4 hr trip up north you will find great deep cold water lakes for bass, Walleye, northern, and musky.
If you want to fish in the winter knock yourself out. Ice fishing can be "Fun" Personally not my idea of fun when you sit on the ice jigging, but hey some others love it,
Plus you can include the northern (or southern) part of the state for hunting. Great Deer, and bear hunting. Duck hunting is starting to migrate to the east towards the Dakotas. We also have wolf hunting here as well.
I been told the ice fisherman don't fish they go ice fishing to eat and drink.
RipSomeLips reply :
Let me just settle this question right now. The best state to fish in is the one you currently in! Sure Okeechobee (SP) is hot right now and lake fork is a rockin place to be, but I live in Kansas by golly and so Im happy to fish here because it's home! Now the second I move to florida some day Kansas will be dead to me...haha..but for now the best state for me is Kansas.
CDMeyer reply :
Wisconsin is a really diverse state to fish, I know you cannot fish all year therefore that is its only down fall. Yet, it can really help own our skills.
But I would say that most states are the same I would say Texas.....
DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only reply :
Virginia is for lovers and fisherman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VA ALL THE WAY! :}
J-
ToledoMard928 reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 9:51 AM, tomustang said:Louisiana, then you could drive to either TX or FL
+1
ToledoMard928 reply :
On 2/25/2014 at 9:51 AM, tomustang said:Louisiana, then you could drive to either TX or FL
+1
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