Explore Best Bass Fishing States: 6 Best Bass Fishing In The US (2024)

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Bass Fishing from State to State: The Best US States to Go Bass Fishing

Bass fishing is one of the most stress-relieving hobbies you can have in today’s fast-paced world. Spending a serene afternoon by the waters while fishing a tasty bass for dinner sounds like a dream. The US has some of the biggest basses in the world, but like their size, catching them varies from state to state.

The US is also known to be home to some of the finest fishing sites globe-wide. However, the question is, which state has the best locations?

Best Bass Fishing in the US: Does the Location Make a Difference?

Although the bass is found in most US states, their appearance differs from one area to another because of their migrating habits. This is mainly due to the bass being a versatile fish that can adapt to a variety of lakes, ponds, rivers, etc. For instance, Florida is home to the famous largemouth bass, while the smallmouth populates Lake Erie.

The largemouth doesn’t cope well with harsh environments and usually freezes at low temperatures. They thrive best in warm lakes and ponds and are the fishermen’s favorite because of their broad availability, jaw, and aggressive fight. On the other hand, the smallmouth looks for clearer water, cooler temperatures, and lots of vegetation. Unlike largemouths, smallmouth bass are much more spread throughout the country.

The good thing is that the presence of any bass is an indicator of a healthy fishing environment. Thus, some of the best states for bass fishing have plenty of clear waters. Consequently, a solid sign of what type of bass you’ll catch depends on the location.

Different states yield different results, and the South fares better than others. The South has an abundance of largemouths, while the North is filled with slippery smallmouths. The widespread secret among fishermen is that Florida is the best state for bass fishing, closely followed by Georgia, Texas, and California.

Best Bass Fishing States: The Ultimate List

If you are wondering what state has the best bass fishing opportunity, hold your rod tight as we are about to dive into deeper analysis.

The following places are where you can find the best bass fishing in the US:

Arkansas

With 60.0000+ acres of lakes and around 90.000 miles of rivers and streams, Arkansas hosts smallmouth and largemouth bass. Moreover, this state is also the home of some of the most well-known lakes for bass fishing in the States.

Lake Ouachita has become the number one destination for bass fishing lately, especially for striped, hybrid, spotted, and Northern bass. Another favored spot is Bull Shoals Lake, where fishermen can catch largemouth bass of up to 12 pounds. Additionally, the Arkansas River is a frequent host of bass fishing tournaments.

California

California has numerous coastal inlets, rivers, lakes, and ponds for the bass’s ultimate comfort. Among the many popular locations, anglers choose the California Delta as their favorite. The Delta has the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, which are highly productive regions for bass fishing.

The rivers are rich with vegetation and thick grasses and provide the perfect cover for some heavyweight bass. Hence, you’ll find these waters inhabited by largemouth/smallmouth and spotted bass.

The Southern Lakes serve as proof of California’s waters and offer some of the best bass fishing in America. That said, the record-breaking 25-pound largemouth bass Dottie (2006) resided the Dixon Lake. The Castaic Lake and Lake Casitas, near LA, are also the base of some of the biggest largemouth bass in the country.

Florida

Florida is crowned the “Fishing Capital of the World’’ because of its abundance of fish. You can find bass pretty much everywhere all year round. Though, the best place for the quantity and size of bass is Headwaters Lake. Many famous bodies of water in Florida, like Lake Okeechobee, Lake Tohopekaliga, and Florida Everglades attract anglers from all over the country for their iconic view and migrating bass.

Other hotspots worth the trip are Lake George, where you can find enormous “relatives” of the regular bass, Rodman Reservoir, and the Lake Oklawaha River, the home of the giants!

Georgia

Georgia is the state for those who like catching bass in bulk. This is because bass uses the state of Georgia as a migrating pit stop during the spring. Thus, enabling anglers to catch plenty of them in one sitting. Situated on the southwestern border of Georgia, lake Seminole has approximately 400 miles of shorelines filled with striped and sunshine bass.

Ultimately, Georgia has vast amounts of different fisheries, Lake Lanier, Lake Hartwell, and Blue Ridge Lake all suitable for various bass, including the black, spotted, Suwanee, redeye, shoal, and others.

Pennsylvania

To fish the Pennsylvania waters, anglers must hold a fishing license that is visible at all times. Once you’re in, you can enjoy catching largemouth/smallmouth bass in small ponds, rivers, or large lakes. Some of the best Pennsylvania bass fishing sites include Lake Arthur, Lake Mammoth, Stevenson Reservoir, and the biggest of them all Lake Erie. One can rarely catch a big largemouth bass of 5 pounds or more in this state’s waters.

Texas

Texas is also among the best states for bass fishing, as there are plenty of opportunities and locations. The state offers two of its most popular lakes for the best bass fishing journeys anglers can imagine.

Lake Fork has overflowing bass all season long, and it’s every fishermen’s top choice. This lake is also a good spot where bass can congregate. Lake Fork offers many shallow sections which are perfect for locating and hooking a bigger bass. Other great locations are Choke Canyon Reservoir, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, and Falcon Lake.

The reservoir, located on the Frio River is a fertile breeding ground for some of the biggest largemouth bass in the state. Additionally, Texas is the home state of the prominent Guadalupe bass.

How to Choose the Best State for Bass Fishing

Before choosing the best state for bass fishing that suits you most, every angler needs to consider specific criteria. That said, the best choice is to fish for bass in the state closest to you, but sometimes that can be hindered by various factors.

For example, the fishing start/end season varies from state to state, and each requires specific gear for different bass fishing conditions.

Therefore, every bass angler needs to consider the following factors:

availability
abundance
and legislation
the specie of bass

Availability

Some states have bass all year round, while others have migration during the spring. Thus, you can fish bass in Florida whenever you feel like it, but in Georgia, you’ll have to wait till spring or summer.

Abundance

Not all states offer a wide variety of bass. Georgia, for instance, might not have bass all the time, but they have the most types of bass during migration. California, has some of the heaviest bass in the state, while Texas is home to the “one and only” Guadalupe bass. Take one step further, Pennsylvania is the land of the smallmouth bass, but Florida is the only home to the mighty peaco*ck bass.

Legislation

To fish, anglers must have a fishing license. You cannot even target bass during their spawning season in some states, but in other states catching and releasing them is allowed in the open water season. Whereas in other southern states, they can fish all year long.

Best States for Bass Fishing: Final Words

To conclude, Florida is the best state for bass fishing and provides the best bass trips. The state allows you to fish for all types of bass anytime you want. Besides the beautiful scenery and weather, Florida is also home to some of the biggest bass every angler would be proud to catch.

However, before you head to Florida or any of the bass fishing states listed, check their regulations first as they are always changing.

FAQs

Which state has the best bass fishing?

Florida is the best state for bass fishing since it offers easy all-year-round angling.

Where is the best largemouth bass fishing in the United States?

Southern California’s Casitas and Castaic Lakes, and San Joaquin River offer the best largemouth bass fishing in the States.

What state has the biggest bass?

California (25 pounds) and Georgia (22 pounds) are known to have produced some of America’s biggest bass. But Florida has more 8+ lb bass than all of them.