states down south

[bassin baller]

hey guys im going into the airforce jan 16th i leave for texas and when i get outta tech school they give you this thing called a dream sheet where you put 8 states down that you want to live in... i was thinking like texas, georgia, alabama,florida, mississippi, and south carolina for states to live in.. s o im just wondering what you guys think the best state to go to would be. and how you guys fish for the bass in those southern states compared to michigan. just some seasonal tips wold be nice. thanks.

[cart7t]

I sure wouldn't leave Hawaii off that list.  

[senko_77]

If it was me I would say Texas, then Georgia, then Florida, and maybe South Carolina.  Try getting a place near Lake Fork.  There are some pigs there.  If you move to Georgia, then you need to decide if you like spotted bass or largemouth.  If you like spots then move to Lake Lanier, if you like largemouth then try lakes like Clarks Hill, West Point, Seminole, Sinclair, or Varner.

[Gatorbassman]

Yea I remember that list. But ours wasn't just for the states it was the world. My first pick was Korea and they sent me to Hawaii.

[Plastik]

You get to put down your Stateside wish list, and your over seas wish list.  Me I have only been back Stateside for 1 year.  And I came back to TEXAS.  Lackland, where you will be going to BMT, is in San Antonio, about a 6 or less hour drive to Fork, about 2 hours to Chokey Canyon and about 1 hour from Canyon.  There is also, Medina lake, Lake McQueeny, and various small bodies of water around here.  Depending on your AFSC, you will have your choice of 3 different bases in SA, and a few more scattered across the state.  If you are a Cop, I would suggest getting to Randolph AFB.  Anything else, Brooks or Lackland.  Good luck, and make the most out of BMT, a lot of memories will come from that time period, its going to be a BIG life change.  

Welcome to the Air Force

Plastik

[fishbear]

As much as I hate to say this,, what about California???  No offense to residents there but not one of my favorite places,, but they do have big bass....

[floridabassboy]

dont pick florida

[BassKing813]

Come to Florida. It's the fishing capital of the world! On second thought though, maybe you shouldn't. Florida is also the lightning capital, shark capital, and hurricane capital of the world. It's up to you. Personally, I'd still be out fishing in shark infested waters at dusk during a hurricane while surrounded by lightning. ;D

[Bream Master]

If you're looking for some good southern fishin' states while in duty, TN.

[RoLo]

I'd request Florida and hope for Eglin Airforce Base (Steve Irwin's favorite).

If I couldn't get Florida, it really wouldn't matter to me.  

Roger

[Way2slow]

Dream sheet physci.  If you want the south, pick all northern states.  If you want southeast, make picks in north west, that seems to always be how it works.   The only time the dream sheet comes into play is if they happen to need your AFSC at a base that happens to be in one of your selected states.  What AFSC, when you finish Lackland, and go to your tech school.  At Lackland, you will not have a life, you will belong to the AF and your TI, so don't plan on anything there.  Your not going to have much of a life at Tech school either, especially if single and living in the dorms, so don't expect much there either.  If your going into a communications field, you might get a state side assigment but it's a good chance it will be with one of the mobile units, so you get to spend every other 179 days overseas in the sand box, but don't even get your hopes up about getting a stateside assignment.   Georgie, Oklahoma, and Florida are bad states to pick if your AFSC happens to be one used by the mobile units.  Texas don't have base's that are close to the great fishing lakes.    Robins AFB in GA is near some pretty good lakes but is home of one of the largest mobile units and only has very few slots for non mobile slots, not a great place to be.

Needless to say, you might want to check out what base's are available in the states you pick and what their mission is, and what units are assigned to that base.   Don't depent on that recruiter to give you these facts, he has a quota he has to me for good performance reports so he's going to tell you what he thinks you want to hear.

I spent 22 years playing those Air Force games as a comm winnee, so I know a little about how they play.  Oh, and hope like the devil you don't get into security, those guys really get the short end of the stick.

[bassin baller]

im going into utilities which is like heating cooling and electrical and dealing with water so wher wold the best one be for that

[Al Wolbach]

If you should get Charleston AFB, South Carolina, you would be only 20 miles or so from Santee-Cooper.

Any of the states you mentioned have better year round fishing weather than you are used to in Michigan. Good luck.................Al

[Murray]

if you end up going to the air war college we can go fishing.

[tallydude]

I would pass on Florida. The cost of living down here is outrageous and the people here just aren't as good as they are in the south. I'd go for Tennessee or Texas if I were you.

[Raul]

Yea I remember that list. But ours wasn't just for the states it was the world. My first pick was Korea and they sent me to Hawaii.

It must have been a bummer being sent to Hawaii.  :

[jb_from_texas]

You know what I'm going to say....TEXAS!  But without sounding biased you really do need to look at Texas.  Born and raised there but have been in Florida for the past 8 years, so i know both states well enough.

I dont know what Florida has more of, lakes or golf courses.  They'll call anything a lake here though, even the smallest bodies of water.

Texas has bigger lakes (everything is bigger in Texas) in general (and deeper) than Florida but Florida has more.  But again it's a bit misleading when they call something a lake that i can skip a rock across.

Housing is WAY better in Texas.  Better quality, better prices. Taxes are low and most importantly the people are very nice.

[sirmo]

Never been in the military, but something tells me you you be putting other considerations in front of fishing as you decide where you what them to shack you up.

Just a thought....

[paparock]

They gave you a wish list????  :-?Us grunts in the Army used to say the Air Force was the only branch of the armed services that had their priorities correct. They sent the officers off to war and the enlisted guys stayed in the rear.   Just kidding, as I was an officer. There are some great Air Force bases in Texas and even greater bass fishing. I can't say about the other places because I have never fished there. Best of luck.

[Vorlin]

When I graduated Naval 'A' school, we got no choice at all. We were all sent off to advanced training schools that were picked by someone else.

When we graduated 'C' school it was very different. There were only 4 of us (it was an 11 month series of specialty schools, very few were sent). They brought us into a room and laid out all the available slots that needed our specialty and left us to figure it out ourselves. There were like 5 slots and 4 of us, and we basically carved up the country in a way that everyone was satisfied.

If I had to do a dream sheet, these are the things that would guide my decision:

1) Make sure you can get a MAC flight locally so you can go standby for personal travel on the cheap. This allows you to experience other places you didn't get sent to or go visit family.

2) I'd pick all places that were cool in some way and that I figured I'd never get to otherwise. Hawaii, Alaska and don't forget US territories that may be considered stateside duty like perhaps the Marianas, Puerto Rico and others. Don't forget that Minnesota has incredible fishing and you'll learn to ice fish as well. Upstate NY is good outdoorsman country and don't discount Arkansas or Alabama... lots and lots of forest and lakes.

Don't do Guam... it's a big prison island except for those who love open water scuba diving.

Just make sure that you can get away at times... this means there has to be a military cargo hub nearby if you want to try MAC flights.

Whatever you do, make sure that it's DIFFERENT from what you'll be doing with the rest of your life. This is your chance to travel on the government's dime... make the most of it.

Vorlin