Which State would you choose?
Re: Which State would you choose?
I moved to northeast Alabama in 2012 and really like it here. I'm 10 minutes from Lake Guntersville which has the largemouth and stripers covered and the smaller rivers in the area have some surprisingly big smallies (6+ lbs). I'm originally from SE Michigan and lived there for 29 years fishing Lake St. Clair and some of the smaller lakes in the area for large and small mouths, pike, walleye and so on.
Pros down in AL:
-Cheap cost of living
-No hard water season
-Bass get pretty dang big down here so there's always that possible 10lb fish lurking around
-TN river system has a lot of great fisheries all tied together
-Small river fish stay aggressive all year so if the reservoir bite slows (mid summer) just go to the smaller streams and rivers and wade or kayak fish.
Cons:
-I do miss the abundant pike and walleye and trout from up north
-Summer humidity sucks but I'll take it over a long winter
-Guntersville has fishing pressure year round so launches are always busy
Pros down in AL:
-Cheap cost of living
-No hard water season
-Bass get pretty dang big down here so there's always that possible 10lb fish lurking around
-TN river system has a lot of great fisheries all tied together
-Small river fish stay aggressive all year so if the reservoir bite slows (mid summer) just go to the smaller streams and rivers and wade or kayak fish.
Cons:
-I do miss the abundant pike and walleye and trout from up north
-Summer humidity sucks but I'll take it over a long winter
-Guntersville has fishing pressure year round so launches are always busy
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Re: Which State would you choose?
At least you still have smallies. I'm not sure my mental health can handle moving away from them.ss30378 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:32 amI moved to northeast Alabama in 2012 and really like it here. I'm 10 minutes from Lake Guntersville which has the largemouth and stripers covered and the smaller rivers in the area have some surprisingly big smallies (6+ lbs). I'm originally from SE Michigan and lived there for 29 years fishing Lake St. Clair and some of the smaller lakes in the area for large and small mouths, pike, walleye and so on.
Pros down in AL:
-Cheap cost of living
-No hard water season
-Bass get pretty dang big down here so there's always that possible 10lb fish lurking around
-TN river system has a lot of great fisheries all tied together
-Small river fish stay aggressive all year so if the reservoir bite slows (mid summer) just go to the smaller streams and rivers and wade or kayak fish.
Cons:
-I do miss the abundant pike and walleye and trout from up north
-Summer humidity sucks but I'll take it over a long winter
-Guntersville has fishing pressure year round so launches are always busy
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Re: Which State would you choose?
This....hoohoorjoo wrote: ↑Thu Nov 04, 2021 7:24 pmI'd stay right here in GA. My PB is 13-2 from a private lake less than 10 miles from me. I've also seen and attempted to catch a fish that was every bit of 15# in the same lake. I've caught 30+ fish over 8#. I really see no reason to go anywhere else. Plus, I'm close enough to Florida and Alabama that I fish there a couple times every year.
I'm torn, I've considered looking at jobs in Florida just because saltwater fishing is my mistress now instead of bass fishing. It's hard to beat being less than 3 hours from Eufaula, Seminole, Sinclair, October, the big bend or the ga coast. Plus being 30mins from ocmulgee pfa or 45mins from Rutland farms is awesome too. Maybe I need to fish more around my in-laws in Oxford
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Re: Which State would you choose?
Anyone here live somewhere in Southern North Carolina? How's the bass fishing?
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Re: Which State would you choose?
It is excellent, as it is in the entire Southeast. There are lowland reservoirs and deep, clear mountain lakes. Lot of great trout fishing within reasonable driving distance, too.Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:14 pmAnyone here live somewhere in Southern North Carolina? How's the bass fishing?
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.
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Re: Which State would you choose?
Maybe so!doomtrprz71 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:35 pmThis....hoohoorjoo wrote: ↑Thu Nov 04, 2021 7:24 pmI'd stay right here in GA. My PB is 13-2 from a private lake less than 10 miles from me. I've also seen and attempted to catch a fish that was every bit of 15# in the same lake. I've caught 30+ fish over 8#. I really see no reason to go anywhere else. Plus, I'm close enough to Florida and Alabama that I fish there a couple times every year.
I'm torn, I've considered looking at jobs in Florida just because saltwater fishing is my mistress now instead of bass fishing. It's hard to beat being less than 3 hours from Eufaula, Seminole, Sinclair, October, the big bend or the ga coast. Plus being 30mins from ocmulgee pfa or 45mins from Rutland farms is awesome too. Maybe I need to fish more around my in-laws in Oxford
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.
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Re: Which State would you choose?
Did you previously live there?hoohoorjoo wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:20 pmIt is excellent, as it is in the entire Southeast. There are lowland reservoirs and deep, clear mountain lakes. Lot of great trout fishing within reasonable driving distance, too.Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:14 pmAnyone here live somewhere in Southern North Carolina? How's the bass fishing?
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Re: Which State would you choose?
I have extended family and a lot of friends in both Bryson City and Maggie Valley.Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 5:59 pmDid you previously live there?hoohoorjoo wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:20 pmIt is excellent, as it is in the entire Southeast. There are lowland reservoirs and deep, clear mountain lakes. Lot of great trout fishing within reasonable driving distance, too.Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:14 pmAnyone here live somewhere in Southern North Carolina? How's the bass fishing?
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.
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Re: Which State would you choose?
Thanks Timhoohoorjoo wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 6:55 pmI have extended family and a lot of friends in both Bryson City and Maggie Valley.Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 5:59 pmDid you previously live there?hoohoorjoo wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:20 pmIt is excellent, as it is in the entire Southeast. There are lowland reservoirs and deep, clear mountain lakes. Lot of great trout fishing within reasonable driving distance, too.Hogsticker2 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:14 pmAnyone here live somewhere in Southern North Carolina? How's the bass fishing?
Re: Which State would you choose?
I'm here. Fishing is Superb let me know if you want to know anything, just drop me a pm. MarcHogsticker2 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:14 pmAnyone here live somewhere in Southern North Carolina? How's the bass fishing?
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Greetings Marc
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Re: Which State would you choose?
Central Maine is my favorite area to fish. There are lots of lakes to choose from and most have healthy populations of SMB and LMB. You also can fish for pike in the Belgrade region. Best of all, there is very little fishing pressure. It's not uncommon to be the only bass boat on the lake. There are some drawbacks though. The economy is tough and goods jobs can be hard to find. The winters are also brutal. My goal is to retire and spend May - Oct in Maine and Nov - Apr in Arizona.
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Re: Which State would you choose?
Nice. Sounds good except those brutal winters. That's what we're trying to escape.njbasscat wrote: ↑Wed Jan 19, 2022 7:57 amCentral Maine is my favorite area to fish. There are lots of lakes to choose from and most have healthy populations of SMB and LMB. You also can fish for pike in the Belgrade region. Best of all, there is very little fishing pressure. It's not uncommon to be the only bass boat on the lake. There are some drawbacks though. The economy is tough and goods jobs can be hard to find. The winters are also brutal. My goal is to retire and spend May - Oct in Maine and Nov - Apr in Arizona.
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Re: Which State would you choose?
Tried a PM. Says you don't exist. If you're still around, where is the best smallmouth action located, SW area? Also, what part of the State has the best year round climate, the SE area?munio3 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 7:03 pmI'm here. Fishing is Superb let me know if you want to know anything, just drop me a pm. MarcHogsticker2 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:14 pmAnyone here live somewhere in Southern North Carolina? How's the bass fishing?
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Greetings Marc
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Re: Which State would you choose?
I'm in the Bay Area like DrPerf, and I agree that we have some good fishing here...but it's expensive as heck to get out there. The cost of gas and launch fees will really get you. My buddy was just at Comanche and he paid $32 or $36 to launch his boat there...after driving 2 hours to get there (4 hours round trip)--that's a high price!
I feel like the Delta is really declining as well--if you look at tournament results over the last few months and go back a couple years the bags are small. I just saw someone win a Delta event with 5 pounds!
I really like the idea of Texas--my buddy move to the Houston area a few years ago and I had a chance to visit him last year and the number of creeks, river accesses, ponds, and the bay provides some awesome fishing opportunity. But like someone else had mentioned...there's a big crowd of people out there. I thought California lakes and the Delta were crowded...oh boy...Texas was even worse.
I think I'd want to move up to Washington. Smallies, steelies, and salmon baby!
I feel like the Delta is really declining as well--if you look at tournament results over the last few months and go back a couple years the bags are small. I just saw someone win a Delta event with 5 pounds!
I really like the idea of Texas--my buddy move to the Houston area a few years ago and I had a chance to visit him last year and the number of creeks, river accesses, ponds, and the bay provides some awesome fishing opportunity. But like someone else had mentioned...there's a big crowd of people out there. I thought California lakes and the Delta were crowded...oh boy...Texas was even worse.
I think I'd want to move up to Washington. Smallies, steelies, and salmon baby!
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Re: Which State would you choose?
godshippy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 15, 2022 9:57 amI'm in the Bay Area like DrPerf, and I agree that we have some good fishing here...but it's expensive as heck to get out there. The cost of gas and launch fees will really get you. My buddy was just at Comanche and he paid $32 or $36 to launch his boat there...after driving 2 hours to get there (4 hours round trip)--that's a high price!
I feel like the Delta is really declining as well--if you look at tournament results over the last few months and go back a couple years the bags are small. I just saw someone win a Delta event with 5 pounds!
I'm currently located in Eastern Washington. It's pretty great for freshwater fishing, around 3 hours to get to the salt. Numerous lakes in the region, plus I can get to Idaho in 45 minutes, where there are a bunch of additional lakes. Not far from Canada, with even more lakes, rivers, and reservoirs in between. And all of it is pretty premium for smallies, which is what I primarily target.
I really like the idea of Texas--my buddy move to the Houston area a few years ago and I had a chance to visit him last year and the number of creeks, river accesses, ponds, and the bay provides some awesome fishing opportunity. But like someone else had mentioned...there's a big crowd of people out there. I thought California lakes and the Delta were crowded...oh boy...Texas was even worse.
I think I'd want to move up to Washington. Smallies, steelies, and salmon baby!