


Giant bass are caught in Arizona, but the reservoirs can dry up completely in draught years. How many big-fish waters exist? How many reservoirs, lakes, and rivers in the state hold world-class numbers of bass, and how many harbor real trophies? And how consistent is the action, year after year?Ĭertainly, Utah has some world-class smallmouth fishing-but the number of venues is limited. Quality and number of great bass waters hold the most weight. Media coverage of specimens that include state and world records have an impact. So, how to create a top-10-best list of states for bass fishing? Conservationefforts protecting bass and their habitat have something to do with it. Some states, however, are obviously better than others. So anglers from almost any state can claim they live in bassin' heaven. All contain a few "secret" spots nobody's talking about, beyond the stark glare of media attention. Some have phenomenal numbers, some have size, and a few have both. Some of the best bass fishing states favor spotted bass, some are better for smallies, some are loaded with largemouths, and a few have all three. Tournament popularity? Maybe-but it's primarily because bass are found in so many states-including Hawaii. Bass are the American sweethearts of the freshwater world right now.
