Despite
its reputation as a dangerous place to fish, Texas’ Falcon Lake ranked
in first place. The 58-year-old impoundment straddles the Rio Grande and
is shared by Texas and Mexico. The 83,000-acre reservoir has been in
the news as much for drug cartel-related crime as for its enormous
catches of largemouth bass.
Falcon
produced the record winning catch for the Bassmaster Elite Series
circuit when Paul Elias caught 132.5 pounds of bass during four days in
2008. Although the Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments have not returned
to the lake since, it regularly gives up tournament-winning catches
averaging more than 8 pounds per bass.
Texas
tops the list of states with eight lakes or rivers in the Top 100,
followed by Florida, which has seven fisheries on the list, including
No. 2-ranked Lake Okeechobee. Rounding out the Top 10 are Lake
Guntersville in Alabama, Lake Erie in Michigan/Ohio/New
York/Pennsylvania, Lake Champlain in New York/Vermont, Lake Amistad in
Texas, Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota, San Joaquin Delta in California,
Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho and Clear Lake in California.
According to Bassmaster
editor James Hall, the idea for ranking the best lakes emerged at a
B.A.S.S. tournament during a lively discussion among outdoor writers
with definite ideas about the nation’s top performing lakes. Hall
decided the debate warranted a more in-depth investigation.
“Instead
of just having opinions, we wanted to put science behind the opinion to
rate the ‘100 Best Bass Lakes,’” Hall said. “The method was as
scientific as we could make it. The result is a list of outstanding
fisheries. I think it will be fun for people to consider where their
favorite lake stands compared to the best in another state.”
The
100 Best Bass Lakes list was ranked using a variety of qualifiers.
Department of Natural Resource representatives provided the five most
productive lakes in each state based on electroshock surveys and angler
catch rates. B.A.S.S. Federation Nation presidents offered top lake
recommendations based on tournament catches, while conservation
directors supplied details on lake accessibility and best fish stocking
practices.
A
blue ribbon panel of outdoor writers, editors, Bassmaster Elite Series
professional anglers and fishing industry veterans ranked the final list
based on current fishability of each lake, considering its history, big
fish and overall quantity potential and aesthetic surroundings of the
area.
The
list is slated to appear annually. For full details about each of the
lakes ranked, as well as more details about each one, visit http://www.bassmaster.com/news/100-best-bass-lakes.
Bassmaster Magazine 2012 100 Best Bass Lakes in the U.S.
1. Falcon Lake, Texas
2. Lake Okeechobee, Florida
3. Lake Guntersville, Alabama
4. Lake Erie, Michigan/Ohio/New York/Pennsylvania
5. Lake Champlain, New York/Vermont
6. Lake Amistad, Texas
8. San Joaquin Delta, California
9. Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
10. Clear Lake, California
11. Rainy Lake, Minnesota
12. Pickwick Lake, Alabama/Mississippi/Tennessee
13. Lake St. Clair, Michigan
14. Oneida Lake, New York
15. Toledo Bend, Texas/Louisiana
16. Kentucky Lake/Barkley Lake, Kentucky/Tennessee
17. Grand Lake, Oklahoma
18. Kezar Lake, Maine
19. Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Texas
20. Columbia River, Washington/Oregon
21. Kissimmee Chain Of Lakes, Florida
22. Candlewood Lake, Connecticut
23. Santee Cooper lakes, South Carolina
24. Roosevelt Lake, Arizona
25. Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin
26. Lake Fork, Texas
27. Louisiana Delta, Louisiana
28. Lake Ouachita, Arkansas
29. Lake Konawa, Oklahoma
30. Lake Of The Ozarks, Missouri
31. Potomac River, Maryland/Virginia
32. Shasta Lake, California
33. Lake Havasu, Arizona
34. Lake Michigan, Wisconsin/Illinois/Indiana/Michigan
35. Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota
36. Florida Everglades, Florida
37. Lake Charlevoix, Michigan
38. Lake Mead, Nevada
39. Choke Canyon Lake, Texas
40. Lake Seminole, Georgia/Florida
41. Congamond Lakes, Massachusetts
42. Table Rock Lake, Missouri
43. Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire
44. Falls Lake, North Carolina
45. Umpqua River, Oregon
46. Okoboji Lake, Iowa
47. Red River, Louisiana
48. Pueblo Reservoir, Colorado
49. DeGray Lake, Arkansas
50. Trap Pond, Delaware
51. Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas/Missouri
52. Spirit Lake, Iowa
53. St. Lawrence River, New York
54. Squam Lake, New Hampshire
55. High Rock Lake, North Carolina
56. Arbuckle Lake, Oklahoma
57. Lake Tarpon, Florida
58. Apache Lake, Arizona
59. Lake Powell, Utah/Arizona
60. Perry Reservoir, Kansas
61. Chickamauga Lake, Tennessee
62. Lake Wawasee, Indiana
63. Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
64. Lake Conroe, Texas
65. Noxon Rapids, Montana
66. Diamond Valley Lake, California
67. Summit Reservoir, Nebraska
68. Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey
69. Rend Lake, Illinois
70. Lake Pleasant, Arizona
71. Lake Audubon, North Dakota
72. Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Wyoming
73. Harris Chain Of Lakes, Florida
74. Cobbosseecontee Lake, Maine
75. Ute Lake, New Mexico
76. Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
77. Wilson Reservoir, Kansas
78. Elephant Butte Lake, New Mexico
79. Lake Oahe, South Dakota
80. Gull Lake, Minnesota
81. Kerr Reservoir/Buggs Island, N.C./Virginia
82. Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee/Kentucky
83. Lake Gaston, North Carolina
84. Bullards Bar Reservoir, California
85. Dworshak Reservoir, Idaho
86. Tygart Lake, West Virginia
87. Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Kansas
88. O.H. Ivie, Texas
89. Lake Wallenpaupack, Pennsylvania
90. Lake Murray, South Carolina
91. Lake Sammamish, Washington
92. Lake Eufaula, Alabama/Georgia
93. Enid Reservoir, Mississippi
94. Old Hickory Lake, Tennessee
95. Fort Peck Reservoir, Montana
96. Manasquan Reservoir, New Jersey
97. Lake Mohave, Nevada
98. Lake Lanier, Georgia
99. Sebago Lake, Maine
100. McPhee Lake, Colorado
Falcon Lake, Texas
Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.