Michigan ranked second among best fishing states in America – Macomb Daily

When it comes to fishing, Michiganders already know their state rocks with bass, lake trout, walleye, salmon, and thousands of inland streams, lakes, and rivers.

That’s one of the reasons it was ranked second in 2021’s Best and Worst States for Fishing study released ahead of National Hunting and Fishing Day in America, by LawnLove.com.

“I would say it’s No. 1 for fishing,” said Larry Newcom of Warren.

He and his wife, Brenda, and their friends, Harvey and Rose Marie Guenther of Roseville took advantage of Friday’s nice weather and headed out early. By midmorning, the group had already reeled in bass, catfish, bluegill and some perch from the shoreline park near Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township.

However, they had nothing to show for it.

“We’re sport fishermen. So, we catch and release,” said Harvey, who has known Larry since kindergarten and has been fishing almost as long as him.

“I started when I was three, so I’ve been fishing for about 65 years,” Larry said, helping his wife bait her line. She and Rose Marie also love the sport and are among the 19.7 million female anglers who joined the ranks of fishing aficionados in 2020.

Just don’t ask them to put the worm on the hook.

“It is no surprise Michigan is ranked among the best fishing states in the country, with 11,000 inland lakes and more coastline than all states except Alaska,” said Nicki Polan, executive director of Michigan Boating Industry Association, a resident of Oakland County who enjoys boating on Lake St. Clair in Macomb County.

“The state offers more than 1,200 boating access sites and 80 public marinas making it easy for anglers to get on the water. The diversity of fishing opportunities is also second to none – from panfish to bass fishing, and steelhead to muskie and everything in between, the list of species available from fishing is long,” Polan said.

These points are what helped Michigan in the rankings, which were based on overall scores in a variety of categories, including community interest in the sport (fishing licenses, fishing competition, and fishing charters), an abundance of water sources (coastal or landlocked, percentage of the state covered by water, shoreline mileage, marinas and number of fishing trails), cost, supplies and fishing resources.

Michigan lost out to Alaska for first place.

Alaska is king for its salmon. Its geography also boasts a variety of options for fishing such as saltwater, freshwater, fly fishing, and ice fishing.

Michigan has all of that except for the big catches that come from fishing in the ocean.

Fishing in Alaska, however, comes at a cost. Of all the states ranked in the study, Alaska charges the highest price for fishing licenses per holder. There’s also an added expense related to travel and charters.

If you want to tackle fishing in Alaska the best time to go is during the summer, which marks the tail end of King Salmon season and the peak time for catching Pink, Red, Silver, and Chum salmon.

As for Michigan anytime is a good time.

Anglers can be found on the lakes and rivers as early as spring thaw and as late as the dead of winter.

“Michigan’s performance is no surprise,” said Sav Maive’s report for Love Lawn. “After all, the state’s name derives from the Ojibwa word Michigama, meaning large lake.

Surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan boasts the longest freshwater coastline in the world. And while it took second place overall, followed by Maine in third, having nearly 65,000 lakes and ponds, earned it first place in the Access category.

According to the study, the top places to fish in Michigan include Saginaw Bay, Union Lake, which is one of the deepest lakes, and of course the 275,000-acre Lake St. Clair.

“What can I say about this amazing body of water,” Polan said, of the freshwater lake that has earned its own first-place ranking for best bass fishing in the world.

Earning third place after Michigan was Rhode Island, followed by Florida, Hawaii, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Alabama, and Minnesota.

Check out the other rankings determined by the study along with some interesting stats.

Highest percentage of state covered by water:

1. Michigan
2. Hawaii
3. Rhode Island
4. Massachusetts
5. Maryland

Lowest percentage of state covered by water:

1. Nevada, Nebraska, Wyoming and Iowa (tied)
2. Kansas
3. Colorado
4. Arizona
5. New Mexico

Most fishing charters and guides:

1. Florida
2. North Carolina
3. Alaska
4. New York
5. Texas

Fewest fishing charters and guides:

1. Delaware and North Dakota (tied)
2. Nebraska and Iowa (tied)
3. Kansas

Most fishing gear stores per 100,000 residents:

1. North Dakota
2. New Hampshire
3. Montana
4. Iowa
5. Nebraska

Fewest fishing gear stores per 100,000 residents:

1. Rhode Island
2. Pennsylvania
3. New York
4. California
5. Hawaii

Interesting facts discovered during the study:

• 55 million Americans fish at least once a year, highest recorded since 2007
• 969 million fish outings were experienced by Americans in 2020, up 10% since 2019, an uptick fueled by the pandemic
• 19.7 million, female anglers enjoyed the sport in 2020, up 10% from 2009
• 3 million lakes exist in Alaska
• 3,168 fish were caught in 24 hours, an unofficial record by “Marathon Man” Jeff Kolodzinski on Sept. 11, 2021