Where is the best LMB Fishing Destination in North America?

[ab8aac]

Go to Lake fork, if you want to get tired of having to throw back 6-7 lbs fishes.  I took my step son over there last year in late aug and then again in sept and our arms were give plumb out and sore by noon and we had to throw all of them back.  I weighed several of them and all that I weighed was over 7lbs, the biggest 7.43 and was in the slot, but we caught about 50 fish each time, between the two of us.

[benito]

Great question - My friends and I try to do the same thing every February/March as well...This coming Spring, we're looking at either Lake Guntersville (AL), or Stick-Marsh 13.

In my opinion, DO NOT go to Lake Fork! We went there last year, first weekend in March. Weather was perfect (had been warming for several days, was about 70 both days we were there, close to full moon, everything was as "good" as it could be)

6 of us from across the country flew to Dallas, and fished all weekend - and caught basically nothing! We had a professional guide, and literally caught no fish at all that Saturday, and a grand total of 4 fish on Sunday - biggest was maybe 2 pounds. And there were probably 2000-3000 boats on the water that weekend. Crazy.....

I know this can happen anywhere, but seemed to happen to several others at Fork this Spring (I've read reports ever since our trip) In my opinion, if you're going to have 6 people in 2 different boats, with a guide for both days, and you're travelling across the country, AND you get "perfect" weather, you've got to do better than that!

OK, I'll stop venting.....And either way, good luck!

BEN

[George Welcome]

What about the stickmarsh with George Welcome?

That's what I am going to do - yep, that's it.

[Randall]

Varner isn't what it was a few years ago. They put in to many hybrids that have eaten all the shad and then they stocked grass carp that changed the bite.

Varner is still a great lake at the right times of year. It just don't produce all year anymore. June-early July is now the worst time to fish the lake. It might only take 8-12 lbs to win a tournament in June at Varner.  During June I guide on Horton and don't even fish Varner at all. Too many hybrids in the deep water on Varner and that's when the deep fish used to bite best.

Last week it took around 25lbs to win on Varner in 90+ degree water and tough conditions. I have been getting 30lbs for five fish on some  good days over the past couple months. The best time to fish Varner now is late summer , early fall. Right now through Early October Varner can hang with any lake in the Southeast since the hydrilla has given the bass a new place to live and eat that it didn't have before.  

[Matt Fly]

benito, what guide?  Who?    Save me from booking that person.

I'm still gonna say Fork.  

Fork has steadily produced year after year, she is a jewel that is well taken care of.

   Falcon and Choke are very hot, those lakes are peaking right now.     One thing Amistad, Choke, Conroe, or Falcon hasn't done, is produce like that every year, year after year, and Fork does that better than any lake in Texas.  

And we have a few others not even being mentioned.   lol  

[Shawn OConnor]

Why fish Mexico when you have Lake Falcon

Been in my signature since the day I joined

I believe 9 out of the top 10 bass have come from Cali.  

Lake Fork, Clear Lake or anywhere in FL.  

[looking4structure]

TEXAS has so many awesome lakes.

Fork

Falcon

Rayburn

[mikey16]

come to florida start on the st johns in palatka, then go to lake harris in tavares, from there go to lake monroe on the st johns, then go to east lake toho, next day hit up west lake toho/kissimme chain, and finish off the week on stickmarsh/farm pond 13  truly a week in fishing heaven

[RoLo]

For each game fish there are several recognized weight-classes: Adult-class - Trophy-class - Record-class - World-class

Although Mexico is an excellent choice for "trophy-class" bass, most would agree it's a poor choice for "world-class" bass.

In extreme southerly latitudes, bass die prematurely of thermal burnout, no different than a plant that's pushed by grow lights.

Though bass in super-heated climes enjoy rapid growth, they do not reach the advanced ages necessary to attain 'world-class' status. Clear Lake, CA and the California Delta are located at the optimum latitude for growth, and furthermore

benefit from moderate temperatures provided by the Prevailing Westerlies, known as the Maritime Effect or Oceanicity.

Texas is another strong conternder for world-class bass, and among the most promising Texan waterbodies

are Falcon Reservoir, Lake Amistad and Lake Fork.

With regard to world-class bass, northern Florida is superior to southern Florida. The Big O is chockfull of trophy-class bass,

and yields a record-class bass now and then, but it's not even in the running for world-class bass. Northern Florida and southern Georgia are within the world-class region, and it's no mistake that southern Georgia held the world-record.

for so long. The north Florida / south Georgia region provides two vital assets:

1) It's located within the range of Florida-strain bass, and first-generation Intergrade bass.

2) It's located at a geographic latitude that supports maximal Life Span.

===========================================================================================

On the other hand, if you're just looking for "action" waters, where there is more catching and less fishing,

you'd do better to head north, rather than south. The so-called "Bass Box" was introduced to the angling world

by the "In-Fisherman" magazine, This region is defined as the highest quality fishing for both largemouth & smallmouth bass.

As described by In-Fisherman, the "Bass Box" is delineated by joining the following four corners:

Danforth, Maine; south to Hartford, Connecticut; west to Toledo, Ohio; north to Sault Saint Marie, Ontario;

then east back to Danforth, Maine, where Lake Ontario lies at the hub.

Roger

[Dwight Hottle]

What Roger said. Amen.

[Bobby Uhrig]

The best lake in the country for size and numbers and species-LAKE CHAMPLAIN === PERIOD

[Tanker4lyfe]

Sorry to break everyones heart BUT,

Look at the records..

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=f_fea_bass_top25list

And this year Choke in texas has produced the best, as far as numbers of quality bass.

And you can argue all you want but facts speak.

Lake fork always has to be an honorable mention.

[sofakingbigbass]

Lake Champlain is frozen the time of year they want to go - IT IS HOWEVER God's country and has produced many 100+ days for me with amazing quality of fish - you almost think they don't have fish below 3 lbs - 25 lbs for Champlain is the average tournament 5 fish weight - go there in June!!!!

[RoLo]

Lake Champlain is frozen the time of year they want to go - IT IS HOWEVER God's country and has produced many 100+ days for me with amazing quality of fish - you almost think they don't have fish below 3 lbs - 25 lbs for Champlain is the average tournament 5 fish weight - go there in June!!!!

Champlain, Thousand Islands and Black Lake all lie within the northern Bass Box.

Though I've lived in Florida since 1998, I miss the quality bass fishing that exists

as far north as Parry Sound in 30,000 Islands, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, Canada.

Remarkably, 3-lb bass are actually common in Lake Huron, but 12 pounders are unheardof.

Roger

[Branuss04]

Sorry to break everyones heart BUT,

Look at the records..

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=f_fea_bass_top25list

And this year Choke in texas has produced the best, as far as numbers of quality bass.

And you can argue all you want but facts speak.

Lake fork always has to be an honorable mention.

 

LMAO... 1 fish on that list in the last 5 years.  yep... facts speak  :

But in all fairness there are PLENTY of big fish that are not reported.

[slider head]

Falcon for me

[George Welcome]

You would be amazed at the numbers of bass over 10 pounds that aren't reported all across south Florida, and my guess this holds true for Texas.

Mexico is a destination to experience! Superior vistas, huge bass, and numbers await anyone that wants to go there. My last trip to Huites netted over 700 bass to 13.5 pounds. Not too shabby.

That being said, I have had many clients that have fished Mexico for that illusive 10-pound bass, and the same can be said for those from Texas. They weren't successful there, but they were successful here. Randy Myers, lead Biologist for District 1D in Texas says Amistad is the lake to head to for that state.

If I were looking to go elsewhere I would be looking at the overall quality of location, not just sheer numbers and weight. There is nothing like a relaxing day on a scenic body of water.

[RoLo]

My last trip to Huites netted over 700 bass

I'm a little surprised George......NETTING bass in Mexico!!

Roger

[Lucky Craft Man]

Lake Erie...oh, you wanted to know about the best "Largemouth Bass" fishing destination and not Smallmouth Bass (though, I have never caught a 10 lb. Largemouth, I think I would prefer a 7 lb. Smallmouth to a 10 lb. Largemouth).

[Muddy]

Bottom Line; Where ever I get to fish today 8-)

[Chris W]

Bottom Line; Where ever I get to fish today 8-)

Amen to that.

[bassman31783]

Fork is has been my home lake my whole life.  Jan & Feb you have a chance to catch a true monster.  The problem is that you may never get a chance to get out on the water.  At that time of the year it is so hit or miss with the weather that it's hard to plan a trip.  The last few years I've moved my Fork trips back to late March & done much much better in both quality & numbers.  With that being said, if your set on Jan & Feb I would go to Falcon.

[Rob G.]

Lake Fork or Falcon.  Google Tom Reddington, he guides down there.  Good chance at 10+ lbers.  

[Wayne P.]

I also recommend Lake Fork. This year is the nineth consecutive year I have fished there in late May. You can catch them shallow, deep, and in between. Hooking a double digit bass is quite common, landing one is a challenge. There is a good pool of guides to select from also.

I certainly don't mind the 17 hour drive to get there.

You just have to time your trip to not coinside with the very large turnout tournaments that are held there.

[Bassn Blvd]

St.Johns and rodman, which of course runs in to stick marsh. has as many 5- 11 pound fish pulled out every year as any place in the country. Also has the largest bass tourny east of the Mississippi, and the Bass capital of the world in palatka.

X2 on that