I've fished Florida several times.  Not the best, in my opinion.

All right, your just doing that on purpose.  The only reason not to prefer Florida is if you have something against catching 10 pound Largemouth bass.  If you actually prefer catching smaller fish I guess that could happen. 

 

Upstate NY is great fishing but a really nice fish is 3-4 pounds.  I don't think too many people will "choose" NY over Florida if all you are talking about is bass fishing.

 

But to each his own.  I left all that snow and swore I'd never go back and I have not regretted that decision.  Obviously, that was based on snow, not fishing.

talking to my wife about where would be a good place to live outside of ca. I told he I don't mind all the bs. because within a hour I have clear lake, berryessa, delta, folsom and lake oraville. all great bass lakes. but every place she wouldn't mind living im a jerk because the fishing sucks. ok br. what would be the best state to live in for bass fishing. florida, texas , Alabama? im sure you would have to move south.

If you strictly talking about catching "fish" and nothing else, Alaska is the place to go.

 

ha

All right, your just doing that on purpose.  The only reason not to prefer Florida is if you have something against catching 10 pound Largemouth bass.  If you actually prefer catching smaller fish I guess that could happen. 

 

Upstate NY is great fishing but a really nice fish is 3-4 pounds.  I don't think too many people will "choose" NY over Florida if all you are talking about is bass fishing.

 

But to each his own.  I left all that snow and swore I'd never go back and I have not regretted that decision.  Obviously, that was based on snow, not fishing.

 

 

Not blowing smoke.  It isn't just about catching 10 lb. bass.  I've got fish living next to the bass that will eat your 10 lb. green fish.  There's a lot more to it - as I mentioned - diversity in both waters and species in freshwater fishing.  I've fished Big O at least a dozen times....boring.    Yes, the fish are bigger, but they are fewer, and far between.  NC and SC have great fishing as well, as does AL.  But from the places I've fished, VA and NY are far more interesting.  VA is probably where I'll end up retiring. 

 

And BTW, a 3-4 lb. fish is merely a "nice keeper" up here. 

 

Some upstate NY dinks....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, I forgot to mention....gators.  I bleeping hate gators, lol.

 

And BTW, a 3-4 lb. fish is merely a "nice keeper" up here. 

 

Some upstate NY dinks....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, Granted, those are nice fish.  Since this is BassResource.com, I assume we are talking largely about bass.

 

I know alot of Yankee fisherman as that is where I cut my teeth fishing, and 3-4 lb bass are very nice fish to them.    You are obviously a very good fisherman.  Hard to believe that with that kind of success in NY that you could not catch some real giants in Florida.

 

If variety is the criteria, I am sure northern lakes would rank very highly.

I would definitely choose Texas, with Louisiana in 2nd and Oklahoma/Tennessee for 3rd/4th. I'm from Texas and absolutely love the bass fishing there. I was in Louisiana for 8+ years and the bass fishing was really good there too. In fact, that's about all that state is good for lol. Now, I live in Oklahoma and to my surprise it's really good here. Unfortunitely I can't speak for California or Florida because I haven't fished there. I've read a lot that says how great they are but I don't personally know.

Hard to beat the food in Tejas!

ANd you might bump in to ZZ Top

I will say this....I never fished Texas.  One trip to Falcon, and I may change my mind, lol.

 

 

 

 

This right here!

Florida and you knew that before you posted!  ha 

you got me... lol. 

Texas is great. I have friends in Conroe, and it's always a great time out there. There's also some incredible river fishing in Texas. Oklahoma also has some great fishing opportunities. 

 

The OP said he's within an hour of Berryessa which has some really huge LMB, but the largest I've heard of caught there is just shy of 17lb. I do remember folks catching spotted bass up to 8lbs. in that lake and others in the area (Shasta is a good place for huge spots.) Another fun freshwater fish to target on the West Coast is the squawfish, although many view them as trash fish because they compete with salmon, eat salmon roe, and aren't very good eating. However they fight good, get pretty big and will hit bass lures. 

I live at berryessa, if you like spots you can really hammer them in the winter and spring. weighed one in at a tournament in may close to 6lbs, thought I had a 10lb lmb. looked like a football. plenty of squawfish, haven't met any body that targets them. catch them on top waters fishing for bass. but they put up a good fight. slimy though. .. nice pics

Florida's cool if you think 8' is deep, and you like fishing grass.  TX is awesome, tons of lakes with big bass and a state agency that does its best to make sure the bass fishing only gets better.  Great salt fishing in the gulf and the smallmouth fishing is getting better every year, (in select lakes.)  Also, the cost of living is way lower than CA.  

 

The down side to TX is the extreme heat in the summer and the fact that everything is so far apart.  Texas is freaking huge.  If I had to pick somewhere else to live, it would probably be the Carolina's, Tennessee or maybe Alabama.

Florida and Texas.

 

Done.

Minnesota is AMAZING

If it weren't for my wife I'd be in California, not that catching permit and tarpon is bad here in Florida.  I'd stay in California, everything is there, good weather, good fishing, the mountains and desert, different climates, urban as well as rural areas, and lots of variety aside from fishing.  You have the Pacific Northwest just up the street and Mexico just down the street.  The grass is not always greener some where else.

My previous comment was based on bass fishing. Texas is up there. One year our club members caught 40 bass 8-12 pounds in one year from one Texas lake.

In our last two tournaments, big bass was 9 to 10 pounds. That's June and July. Not typically big bass months.

For variety, mid west and northern states are better. And, Don't overlook mountain west states.

My best trophys:

Small mouth 7-3

Rainbow 8-6

Brown trout 10-1

Lake trout - 34#

Walleye - 9-15

All caught in Utah.

In my book, Texas because I fish mostly at night in summer but can fish all winter without a jacket (most of the time).

 

My best trophys:

Small mouth 7-3

Rainbow 8-6

Brown trout 10-1

Lake trout - 34#

Walleye - 9-15

All caught in Utah.

 

I really had no idea Utah had so much.  Those are some really respectable numbers.  Come up here, and I'll get you to double your brown and 'bow PB's

For largemouth Texas wins hands down.

 

For smallmouth the PA waters of Lake Erie does not take a back seat to anyone. Last year I kept track of smallies over 5 lbs caught from my boat for three prime months of  April, May & October.  Sixty smallies over five lbs hit the net. Eight smallies over six lbs up to 6lb-15oz. All caught on jerkbaits. No live bait. And to top it off a Michigan boy named A-Jay contributed extensively to those numbers over a two week period.

If one is targetting Smallmouth, Lake Winnepausaukee in New Hampshire is just the best in the

United States.  It is a 40 mile long lake with many shoals, crystal clear water, 365 islands, and

tons of bass.  Largemouth probably Okeechobee in Florida.

I havent been fishing in the other 2, but if I had to choose other than Florida where I am, now, it would be Texas or Cali. Ocean is near for salt variety if you live near the coast, and the weather in the South end of the states allows nearly year round fishing. All winter while I was out fishin in shorts, I read so much about lakes being frozen over and peoples poles collecting dust. Many times in south Fl you can fish bass, peacocks, snook, tarpon ect in the same water system.

Honorable mention to Lousiana because they have some great freshwater and inshore fishing in that state.

Great Offshore too..just to mention going frogging is one of my favorite things to do at night on the water.. Throw some jugs "noodles" out for cat fish and then go beat the the banks up and start catching huge as bull frogs with your hands all night long..get home at daylight sleep wake up clean fish and froglegs and fry them up later that evening!

And we don't call them crappie or bluegill here it's sacalait and bream!!

In the winter I often long for milder weather, but there is just something incredible about catching fish in sub-freezing temperatures that can't be explained. If one is dedicated, fishing can be a year round pastime regardless of the weather.

In the winter I often long for milder weather, but there is just something incredible about catching fish in sub-freezing temperatures that can't be explained. If one is dedicated, fishing can be a year round pastime regardless of the weather.

Uh huh. Bass are pretty tough up here, unless through the ice, but the ditches up here provide some great hand to hand combat with big fish on light line...

 

Uh huh. Bass are pretty tough up here, unless through the ice, but the ditches up here provide some great hand to hand combat with big fish on light line...

 

Looks like a blast man. Nice fish.

 

I also feel sorry for those who have never fished a warm water outflow in cold water conditions. Some of the best fishing there is IMHO.

ah  yes forgot to mention if you like different seasons then florida isnt the place to be lol....we have like 2 weeks of 40-50 degree weather and then 11 months of heat lol

Just watched a bass tournament on TV in Alabama....Winning weights , 5 fish , 15 lbs....In Minnesota you would be middle of the pack....Big bass 4lb-7oz, we normally see several over 5 lbs at the scales.....The Lindners maintain that Minnesota has some of the best bass fishing in the country with many more quality lakes than most states....May not have 10lbers ,but, commonly catch 4 and 5 lbers....Wisconsin and Michigan are much the same.