To hear current statistics tell it, largemouth bass fishing is so addictive it can sometimes be hard to tell who hooked who in the ongoing quest to reel in “the big one.”
Whether you are just starting to learn about bass fishing or you are a seasoned pro, you are probably keen to check as many prime bass fishing hotspots off your bucket list as possible.
You will definitely want to keep this list of the best bass fishing spots in 10 states handy as you plan your upcoming fishing expeditions!
- Texas
If Bassmaster has anything to say about it, you simply can’t do better than Texas for bass fishing. Sam Rayburn Reservoir took home top honors as the number one bass fishing spot in the country and in the central United States. This site, located on the Angelina River, is also one of the top go-to locations for competitive bass fishing anglers nationwide, with a surface area of 114,500 acres and a maximum depth of 80 feet.Runners-up hot spots in Texas include the always-popular Falcon Lake and Toledo Bend.
- California
Even the most casual glance at the Bassmaster’s top 10 best bass lakes in the southwestern region will reveal that California quite simply dominates. The California Delta can easily net you 40 to 50 bass daily. San Joaquin Delta, Castaic Lake and Clear Lake (Bassmaster’s number three lake in the nation) offers hundreds of miles of potential bass fishing gold. Plus, check out Diamond Lake, Bassmaster’s number seven pick nationwide.
- Tennessee
For anglers in search of smallmouth, Tennessee’s 36,240-acre, 72-foot-deep Chickamauga Lake is considered its own mecca of sorts. For largemouth, you can also fish Chickamauga, plus be sure to add Kentucky Lake and Douglas Lake to your travel plans.
- New York
New York may be an urban mecca for celebs, socialites and artistic types, but the anglers go for one reason only: the incredible diversity of fishing. Bassmaster’s ranks Thousand Islands Lake second for bass fishing in the northeastern region, while Lake Erie is ranked third and Lake Champlain comes in at number five.
Lake Oneida comes in at number 12 on the same list, with Lake Cayuga following close behind at number 13. Finally, don’t miss the 750-mile long, 2-mile wide and 200-feet deep St. Lawrence River for some truly sizable smallmouth, largemouth and muskie opportunities.
- Alabama
Lake Guntersville in Alabama is ranked third in the Bassmaster’s top 10 bass lakes in the southeastern region and ninth in the top 10 bass lakes nationwide. This lake spans 69,100 acres with continual freshwater inflow from the Tennessee River and plenty of natural cover.
Between Lake Guntersville, Pickwick Lake and Lewis Smith Lake, you may not find better conditions for picking up 6-pound and up trophy smallmouth plus largemouth and spotted bass. Some anglers even call Alabama “bass fishing heaven” for this reason.
- Florida
Lake Okeechobee was ranked fourth in the Bassmaster’s top 10 southeastern lakes. With 730 square miles of vegetation and waterways, this is undoubtedly Florida’s most famous bass fishing destination. Other top spots while you are in the state include Rodman Reservoir and Lake Kissimmee.
- Michigan
Michigan boasts another of the Bassmaster’s Top 10 best bass lakes with its Lake St. Clair, which is small in size at just 430 acres. Yet reports indicate it regularly captures up to 50 percent of sport fishing and 30 percent of sport fishing catch over all the Great Lakes!
85-foot deep Hubbard Lake, where smallmouth record-breaking trophy catches regularly make news in recent years, is another hot spot you won’t want to miss, along with Coldwater Lake, a 1,610-acre lake in Branch County.
- Georgia
If you want to visit the actual site where George Perry reeled in his world record-making 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth, Georgia is the place to be. Head right for Lake Lanier in hopes of recreating Perry’s trophy catch and be sure to bring a variety of tackle as you can also find spotted, smallmouth and striped bass. If you have time, be sure to fish West Point Lake and Lake Harding as well.
- Minnesota
Standing at number five on the Bassmaster’s Top 100 Best Bass Lakes, Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake offers a 132,516-acre expanse for you to try your luck at smallmouths and walleye. When you are done there, head over to the 107,800-acre Red Lake, where many anglers report excellent ice fishing conditions.
Steiger Lake is another great option for catching the less-popular bass in the so-named “walleye state.” The state’s stringent catch-and-release policies translates to some sizable bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie.
- Wisconsin
Wisconsin might not boast the most largemouth lakes in the country, but it does have some of the best lakes where you have a great chance of reeling in a 7-pound or even 8-pound largemouth bass along with bluegill and perch.
With its proximity to the Great Lakes, be sure to check out Lake Winnebago, Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay, Green Bay on Lake Michigan and the whopping 138,000-acre Lake Winnebago, the largest of the state’s inland lakes.