Fishing in florida or california

[jmcarriere]

If one was yo plan a week vacation to go to either Florida or Cali tp go trophy fishing which state would you choose and when would you go. Time frame would need to be 2nd week of may to labor day

[WRB]

Both Florida and California would be past the spawn cycles by your time frame, basically summer period.

Nothern Claifornia would be better choice than southern Cal, neither would be ideal. Clear lake is your best bet in Cal followed by the Delta, you need a guide to fish them effectively.

Tom

 

[crypt]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

Both Florida and California would be past the spawn cycles by your time frame, basically summer period.

Nothern Claifornia would be better choice than southern Cal, neither would be ideal. Clear lake is your best bet in Cal followed by the Delta, you need a guide to fish them effectively.

Tom

 

this....

[jmcarriere]

7 hours ago, WRB said:

Both Florida and California would be past the spawn cycles by your time frame, basically summer period.

Nothern Claifornia would be better choice than southern Cal, neither would be ideal. Clear lake is your best bet in Cal followed by the Delta, you need a guide to fish them effectively.

Tom

 

Yea i know that my time frame is past the spawn cycle but because of my line of work there is no taking a vacation from labor day til the middle to end of april every year as i am a mechanic for a bowling center and that is our bisy season.

[WRB]

I don't know a guide for the Delta since Cooch passed away last week. Larry Hemphill is good for Clear Lake and Matt Allen for  Berryessa and Clear Lake, both lakes and the Delta shoukd be good in April, days or nights.

I can't help you with Florida, the guides tend to be live bait fisherman.

Tom

[YoTone]

if its a week id check out florida. i mean if you get bored of bass fishing theres so many other species to catch there.

you got lmbs, peacock bass, snook, tarpons, ect.

 

[clh121787]

Id probably spend my week in north florida and go south. Waay more lakes to choose from.  I agree with everything said almost...You don't need a guide to fish clear lake effectively. I believe any good fisherman can go there and have a good day. I used to fish it often. Didn't have very many bad days. I am not of the opinion you NEED a guide to fish anywhere. Plus it's way more satisfying catching your own fish. 

[DINK WHISPERER]

Like stated above, every guide I know here in s FL will only guarantee fish if you use live bait. You shouldn't need a guide here though. Either hit up some deeper lakes or bring some heavy flipping/punching gear for the shallow ones. 

[crypt]

stick marsh would be my go to lake at anytime of the year. just slow down in summer, fish early or at night if it's to hot.

[BassB8Caster]

I agree with those saying a guide isnt needed. Problem is, we dont have any real criteria to base our opinions on (besides date). Are we showing up with a bass boat with good electronics? Kayak? Bank fishing. All would elicit different recommendations IMO. I currently fish out of a kayak without electronics. So if im planning this, i want a guide with a boat and electronics to put me on fish. Fishing (potentially) pressured lakes that are large is tough in a kayak or on bank. You are very limited. Hence hiring a guide would be my preference. But if i have a boat with electronics, i have great odds by myself. Bottom line is to to be able to wet your line close enough to the trophy you seek. 

[hawgenvy]

There are plenty of really good guides in S Florida that fish artificial baits. If you end up coming down in our hot, sticky summer consider snook fishing -- kind of like bass on steroids -- and the salt water areas are more tolerable temperture-wise. Anyway, if I were traveling as far as you're going to in order to catch bass, I'd probably go to El Salto for LMB or to the Amazon basin for giant peacocks.

[jmcarriere]

1 hour ago, hawgenvy said:

There are plenty of really good guides in S Florida that fish artificial baits. If you end up coming down in our hot, sticky summer consider snook fishing -- kind of like bass on steroids -- and the salt water areas are more tolerable temperture-wise. Anyway, if I were traveling as far as you're going to in order to catch bass, I'd probably go to El Salto for LMB or to the Amazon basin for giant peacocks.

I can catch bass in my home state i was just thinking of going for a big girl our statr record is 8-15

[Slade House]

having lived in california for 10 years and im moving to florida.  i would go in florida to http://bienville.com/fishing/ The Bienville Plantation lakes.  catch 40 a day and they're all big.  other than that i would go to Lake Picachos in Mexico (its an hour west of el salto and way way better)

 

[geo g]

Florida is my home state, so I would recommend here.  There are lots of quality lakes, lots of guides and may is a great month for loads of big bass, and salt water snook and tarpon in our bays and coastal waters.  Giants all up and down the east and west coast, especially the keys.  Have a great time.

[N Florida Mike]

6 hours ago, Slade House said:

having lived in california for 10 years and im moving to florida.  i would go in florida to http://bienville.com/fishing/ The Bienville Plantation lakes.  catch 40 a day and they're all big.  other than that i would go to Lake Picachos in Mexico (its an hour west of el salto and way way better)

 

Have you fished bienville lately? Maybe theyve got it back on track but I went with an experienced friend there a few years ago and we fished hard all day all over and caught 3 dinks. Water was chalky. Rumor was people were not renewing due to the poor fishing.

But I would ( and do )fish Florida. I would fish The St Johns in various locations ,  Rodman reservoir, and stick Marsh.

And I would use live ( wild ) shiners. A trophy is a trophy. Doesnt matter to me what I catch it on.

 

[hawgenvy]

13 hours ago, Slade House said:

having lived in california for 10 years and im moving to florida.  i would go in florida to http://bienville.com/fishing/ The Bienville Plantation lakes.  catch 40 a day and they're all big.  other than that i would go to Lake Picachos in Mexico (its an hour west of el salto and way way better)

 

Hey, Slade, that Bienville Plantation sounds pretty nice.  Too bad it's 360 miles from home. Is that a private lake for plantation guests (which would be awesome) or is there a public ramp?

[frogflogger]

The great thing about Florida is every canal, pond or lake you see may harbor a dd bass of a lifetime.

[Scarborough817]

i would pick florida though that might just be me since the big o is on my bucket list 

[WRB]

Bienville according to the linked site is private, about $325+ tips a day.

Farm 13/ Stick Marsh I believe is still public with a launch ramp.

Florida, California or Mexico in the summer wouldn't be my choice as already discussed.

Tom

[jmcarriere]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Bienville according to the linked site is private, about $325+ tips a day.

Farm 13/ Stick Marsh I believe is still public with a launch ramp.

Florida, California or Mexico in the summer wouldn't be my choice as already discussed.

Tom

Yes i agree that in the summer is not the greatest time of year but because of my typ of work it is impossible for me to take a week off betweem labor amd middle to end of april i dont even get 2 days off together in that time frame so may to sept is when i get to take time off.

[WRB]

If you can get to Clear Lake or the Delta in May before Memorial Day or schools are out, then Nor Cal would be a good choice.

Tom

[jmcarriere]

6 minutes ago, WRB said:

If you can get to Clear Lake or the Delta in May before Memorial Day or schools are out, then Nor Cal would be a good choice.

Tom

Ph i could definitely get there nefore memorial day

[WRB]

48 minutes ago, jmcarriere said:

Ph i could definitely get there nefore memorial day

Give Larry Hemphill, Yuba City a call. Larry is a guide and honest, he likes to chat about bass fishing and will tell you what is going on.

Tom

[zeth]

On 10/23/2017 at 8:17 AM, BassB8Caster said:

Matt allen from tactical bassin is a guide on clear lake. I would do that in a heartbeat. Very confident he would put me on big fish.  On my bucket list for sure

If you can get matt to respond to his emails to book a trip.... on another note i would choose hmmm idk. Tough one. I might choose florida but onyl because ive never been and spent 15 years in california. Dont put off texas or mexico ofr big bass. 

[pondbassin101]

On 10/31/2017 at 11:38 AM, geo g said:

Florida is my home state, so I would recommend here.  There are lots of quality lakes, lots of guides and may is a great month for loads of big snook and tarpons in our bays and coastal waters.  Giants all up and down the coast.  Especially the keys.  Have a great time.

Whatever he said.