In this stressful world, you need to relax and get outdoors, and fishing is one of the best ways to do both. So it’s no surprise that America is crazy about fishing. Nearly 100 million fish were caught by recreational anglers in 2020 (65% of which were released), and in 2021 he was fished by over 50 million Americans.

This time of year is especially great for enjoying the outdoors. So which states are fishermen’s delights, and which ones leave only fish stories?

Lawn love ranked The best and worst states for fishing in 2022Their study compared 50 states and the District of Columbia based on: Community interest, access to gear and bait stores, affordability of licenses, proximity to water sources Among a total of 22 indicators.

Check out the 5 best states (and 5 worst) for fishing below, along with key insights from the report.

Best states for fishing: 1, Florida. 2, Alaska; 3, Montana; 4, Minnesota. 5, Texas

worst state for fishing : 1, District of Columbia: 2, Nevada; 3, Arizona. 4, Utah. 5, Connecticut

And here are some insights:

Atlantic Angler: Considered by many to be the “Fishing Capital of the World”, Florida is the fishing state’s most prosperous. The Sunshine State has issued over 720,000 nonresident fishing licenses, tags, permits and stamps.

Tourists usually flock to Orlando and Miami, but the state has plenty of coastlines (No. 2), piers (No. 1), and fishing guides (No. 1) for fishing tourists to spread out on the water. I have.

Further up the coast, Carolina stands as its own premier fishing destination, with plenty of piers, fishing charters and catfish clubs in each state. South Carolina (#9) hosts the most Bassmaster tournaments (tied with Florida). North Carolina (10th) impresses with other fishing contests (2nd) and fish species (5th).

Big State = Big Fishery: Fishing spots abound in the nation’s largest state. Alaska didn’t have to fish hard for the silver trophy. In the access category (#1), it impresses with the largest land state, with nearly 34,000 miles of coastline to cast a line from, and three million lakes.

Texas (5th) is the second-largest state by land area and has abundant fishing access (11th), but it also has a passionate fishing community (2nd) and the largest number of fish in the nation. Because there is a competition, it has risen to the top. .

States with smaller populations and fewer fishing options, such as New Hampshire (41st) and Connecticut (47th), dropped to the bottom of the rankings alongside the District of Columbia (51st).

Great (Lake) Fishing: All eight Great Lakes states are in the top half of the rankings, and four are in the top 10. It’s no surprise that Minnesota (“the country of 10,000 lakes”) came in fourth for him. Fishing communities, and many fish tourist destinations like fishing lodges, have brought this state to the rankings.

Wisconsin (6th) and Michigan (7th) moved up in similar rankings, while New York ranked 8th for fishing competition and affordability. A state covered in water – even more than Hawaii.

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