Where should I move to?

[Further North]

I would have a hard time moving...but I have no problem with the winters in NW WI.

 

I have, well within 2 hours (most are within a half hour):

1. Smallies on lakes and rivers.
2. Largemouth (nothing like southern monsters).
3. World class musky fishing in lakes and rivers.
4. Big northern pike...and lots of small ones.
5. World class trout fishing (rivals and exceeds what is found out west).
6. Walleyes all over the place, if I ever get really, really boared.
7. Panfish, see above about boredom.
8. Steelhead on "The River of Presidents"
9. Lake Superior gets into the act within that two hours as well if you like lake trout, steelhead, coho, king salmon and lake run browns.

My second passion has always been upland bird hunting, I have, in some cases literally out my back door:

1. Ruffed grouse.
2. Woodcock.
3. Pheasant (not like out west, but 20 bird days happen every year).
4. Bobwhite (not big numbers, but they are here).

I am not a waterfowl hunter, but you can't wade a trout stream around here without flushing all kinds of ducks and you can't swing a long stick most places without hitting a goose or twenty.

 

I am also not a big game hunter, but I could shoot deer without leaving the house, have had black bear in my yard (and a couple heavier than 700 lbs have been killed relatively close by), I have heard that some of Wisconsin's biggest bucks are one county south.

 

XC skiing is great in the winters, as is snowmobiling (trail is on the eastern boundary of our property).  There's more ATV trails around than you could ride in a lifetime (trail is 200 ft. from the western edge of our property), hiking, canoeing opportunities literally all over...cool stuff like waterfalls and easy drive.

 

...I understand why some people couldn't enjoy the winters ,-27° can really get your attention, but it's unlikely we'll leave.

[JustJames]

I would move next to @A-Jayand become a very good neighbor with him.

[Lucky Craft Man]

Michigan

[WRB]

34 minutes ago, JustJames said:

I would move next to @A-Jayand become a very good neighbor with him.

Bring your ice auger, the water gets hard in MI.

Tom

[A-Jay]

35 minutes ago, JustJames said:

I would move next to @A-Jayand become a very good neighbor with him.

LOL ~ Plan on clearing land . . . .

A-Jay

[ohboyitsrobby]

West Arkansas. Tons of good fishing. Largemouth and smallmouth and spots. Smallies are more moving water and nw arkansas. Also have stripers and most other worthwile game fish. Also pretty good deer and duck hunting. Summer can be a lil muggy but winter's are not bad.

[JustJames]

9 minutes ago, WRB said:

Bring your ice auger, the water gets hard in MI.

Tom

 

8 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

LOL ~ Plan on clearing land . . . .

A-Jay

 

Have you ever heard of summer home? LOL

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, JustJames said:

 

Have you ever heard of summer home? LOL

Yes I have - and I like them.

A-Jay

[WRB]

2 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Yes I have - and I like them.

A-Jay

Visit Canyon lake, year around summer home.

Tom

[slonezp]

2 hours ago, JustJames said:

I would move next to @A-Jayand become a very good neighbor with him.

You might just win his heart if you are willing to clean the dog doo doo

 

I've spent a lot of years traveling south during early spring. My vote goes to any body of water on the Tennessee River system.

[JRez]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

I would add Oregon to your list of states to consider. I believe most of Oregons population are Californians who moved there for lower taxes and cost of living while offering excellent weather and good bass, salmon and steelhead fishing opportunities. Oregon has both big Smallmouth in rivers and decent Smallmouth and Largemouth bass lakes.

Tom

I was about to say Oregon! that would be my dream spot. Great freshwater fishing salmon, steelhead, trout etc..and you got the ocean for another great selection. Even Dungeness crabs. I'm in Richmond, VA area it's kind of the same except hotter. Good freshwater and close to the ocean/Chesapeake bay and mountains. I would take California off your list tho, originally from socal and can't stand it. I love the weather and fishing opportunities, the expenses to live in the state is god awful. It seriously expensive and will slowly kill you. Unless you make a cumulative 300k. You work to survive there...while other states you work to have fun.

[soflabasser]

This month alone I met 2 fishermen that recently moved to South Florida from Michigan and Illinois. They both mentioned to me how they went on vacation for years in Florida before moving down here and how much they hated the bitter cold winters of the north. Have spoken with many other snow birds that moved down here and they all share the same feeling.

6 hours ago, pondbassin101 said:

summertime is absolutely brutal. Great bass fishing

Our summers can be very hot and humid, but that is far better than the bitter cold winters of the north. At least we have green grass year round and we don't have to spray paint the grass green like they do in areas with severe droughts.

 

 

 

[padon]

I live right near the susky in PA and I love fishing that river.I hate the taxes here though and the winter.so I'm looking to be somewhat of  snow bird.looking for  a small place in probably south Carolina or Georgia.I think if you move south good your gonna miss that great northern fishing.

[BigAngus752]

So my wife and I started this very search two years ago.  Once my son is out and in college we are gone from this hellhole called "Illinois".  We can tell you from experience that you absolutely MUST go and look for yourself.  Things are very, very different in person.  Places we thought were sure things are no longer in the running.  Here are some of the places we have considered so far:

Middle Tennessee Cookeville/Sparta/Livingston area (Center Hill Lake/Dale Hollow Lake)

West Kentucky/West Tennessee the Murray/Cadiz/Paris area (Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley)

The Ozarks

Denver/Estes Park, CO

Phoenix/Flagstaff, AZ

Lufkin/Nacogdoches/Austin, TX

 

So far Murray/Cadiz, KY or Paris, TN area is winning far and away from every other place we have visited.  It has four seasons but no true cold in the winter.  Everything we want is in that area.  Fishing, gun ranges, hunting, off-roading.  Murray is a beautiful, clean town and the cost of housing is just about half of the cost in our current area.  We looked at houses near Kentucky Lake on several acres that would literally cost $100,000 more where we live now.  The low cost of housing almost guarantees that we would only need to work part time for part of the year and the rest of the year would be spent driving all over the country.  

 

We probably only have two more places to look at before we decide.  One is East Tennessee area (Chickamauga/Watts Bar) and the other is the Lake Okechobee.  I really don't think Florida is where we want to live but I have fantasized about fishing Okechobee forever.  It just seems like a huge area consisting of ONLY my favorite way to fish (12 foot MAX depth!!!).  I have to try it out.   

 

Good luck in your search.  GO SEE IT IN PERSON.  Wherever you think "it" is.  

 

[Smalliefan2]

Move to east Tennessee. Tennessee and Cumberland rivers (reservoirs) have all three bass species. Weather is great, lotsa non urban living. Cost of living is exceptionally low. Gas is $2.12/gal. currently, national brand. Snows about once every three years. Chickamauga has new state largemouth record, 16 +, Dale Hollow, world smallmouth record. Nuf said.

[BuzzHudson19c]

3 minutes ago, Smalliefan2 said:

Move to east Tennessee. Tennessee and Cumberland rivers (reservoirs) have all three bass species. Weather is great, lotsa non urban living. Cost of living is exceptionally low. Gas is $2.12/gal. currently, national brand. Snows about once every three years. Chickamauga has new state largemouth record, 16 +, Dale Hollow, world smallmouth record. Nuf said.

Vacationed in Eastern Tennessee last year and it is awesome. Definitely gets my vote. Not to mention Tennessee is a state full of freedom loving Americans, unlike the People's Republic of New York where I currently reside.

[dropped shot]

Norcal, clear lake area. Fishes year round and theres a bunch of lakes and you arent too far from the delta. You can fish ponds or bigger lakes.

[Oregon Native]

Lived in Oregon 60 years...do not like there mentality to warm water fish (enuf said)  Moved to East Tennessee to live with kids and grandkids and good Lord willing will never leave.  Everything soooooo close.....can be a little warm for a month or so....buy oh my what a sacrifice we make sometimes.

Good luck

[everythingthatswims]

20 hours ago, J Francho said:

Virginia would be my choice.

What? There aren't any bass in VA!

 

 

East Tennesee is really neat as far as lakes and rivers go, there are lots of them and they aren't too spread out. VA is very diverse, but the fisheries are really spread out so there is a lot of driving time.

[J Francho]

Plenty of water around Roanoake, and fairly close to waters in other states as well.

Plus, I just like that region.  Very similar to here, but with better weather.

[TnRiver46]

Wow everyone wants to move to east TN and the TN river. I guess I was born lucky! I might need to clean out my guest room and put a for rent sign out in the yard....... if any of y'all want to fish the river one day let me know!

[the reel ess]

To get smallies in all waters and still be in the south you'd need to get to the mountains. But if you can take some hot summers, you can get both species in SC. Largies everywhere. There are smallies in the Broad river and it's tributaries as well as in Lake Jocassee, in the extreme northwestern part of the state. In the Broad R smallies can be caught all the way to the midlands. There are trout fisheries in the mountains as well. We also have some very good blue cat and striper fisheries and you'd be close enough to the coast for saltwater. The cost of living and tax situation here is better than most states.

 

It's funny you asked that question because I live in SC and was wondering where I should retire to.  But I'll probably just get closer to the coast so i can add reds and sea trout to my slate.

[Ruy Lopez]

Obviously the bass are plentiful in Florida. My question for all you Floridians; doesn't having all those critters (snakes, gators) in and around the ponds and lakes creep you out when fishing; especially if you are fishing from the bank. I'd always be looking around me I have a feeling if I fished in Florida. Maybe I'm just showing my yellow side. 

[12poundbass]

16 hours ago, soflabasser said:

This month alone I met 2 fishermen that recently moved to South Florida from Michigan and Illinois. They both mentioned to me how they went on vacation for years in Florida before moving down here and how much they hated the bitter cold winters of the north. Have spoken with many other snow birds that moved down here and they all share the same feeling.

Our summers can be very hot and humid, but that is far better than the bitter cold winters of the north. At least we have green grass year round and we don't have to spray paint the grass green like they do in areas with severe droughts.

 

 

 

I'm getting less tolerant of the Michigan winters but one thing I can say, I work outside all day everyday and it's easier to stay warm in the winter than it is to stay cool in the summer. 

 

With that said my flag is staying planted in Michigan....for now. 

[WRB]

10 hours ago, Oregon Native said:

Lived in Oregon 60 years...do not like there mentality to warm water fish (enuf said)  Moved to East Tennessee to live with kids and grandkids and good Lord willing will never leave.  Everything soooooo close.....can be a little warm for a month or so....buy oh my what a sacrifice we make sometimes.

Good luck

Oregon has good bass fishing, especially River Smallmouth. The 60's era hippies moved north to Oregon and brought their extremely liberal life style with them and adopted save the cold water fish species.

Life is too short to be away from family, enjoy it!

Tom