If you were to move to ANY lower 48 state for fishing.....

California is about the only state I'd like to live in.

California or abroad for me. Abroad sounds better and better to me each day...

If you like the cold then Michigan is a great place to live for fishing. L

I second this.....and you can buy a home in Detroit with the change that falls out of the couch when you move


Great Lakes are on my bucket list.  Damn boatus sends out their monthly newsletter with all kinda of waterfront destinations.  The island homes and crystal clear water on the GL waterway seem unbelievable.  I gotta check em out.

California 4 life. We have it all!

When I first met my wife, two other couples and us were tired of Redding and decided that all three family's
to move together. We sat down and went over all the things important , at the time , fishing , hunting, skiing water and snow ect.
We all still live in Redding !!!!!!!! Only now I just want to get closer to the ocean !!!!!!
I do like Oregon a lot, and could very easy live in Washington, close to the ocean for both.
Jeff   

You left out Idaho, If you Like Snow Same as Montana and Utah. North Idaho. There are several large lakes there. If you don't like very much snow southern ID. the Ocean is about an 8 hour drive or less depends on where you live. But I can't live there my wife couldn't stand the cold. What ever you do don't sell your house in California until you know your happy, no matter where you choose. There is more to living in those areas than fishing and hunting. Those areas you have chose are not supportive to Californians moving there. Just like when people from Los Angles move to your area and try to change the area to what they left.

There ARE no fish in Montana. The ocean is magic but I'm still not ruined for freshwater. Here's some Montana and PNW fishporn just because. The last two pics are from central Washington. The rest are Montana

I used to be a mountain and stream guy in my upper teens and twentys after growing up at the beach (ocean) but as I have aged, I always will choose ocean to visit, plus I live in the forest on a mountain.

If it were me, it'd have to be close to the salt, so I'd say Oregon, Washington or maybe try Florida

Iowa. Farm ponds rule!

My second choice would be Minnesota. They have great walleye fishing, and the BWCA is awesome. On the down side, they have mosquitos the size of birds, seriously cold temps in the winter, and this strange phenomenon known as "humidity"...

No state income tax in Washington.  San Juans are really nice up there.  .....If you can put up with long periods of grey wet weather in the winter.

Living in Reno, the mountains are great but sure wish the ocean were a lot closer again.

Oregon! Love their scenery and fishery

So many candidates...

I've lived in CA, WA, NJ, VA, AK, NM and MN.

Washington and Virginia offer some great fishing. I love Neah Bay, Washington and the Atlantic/Bay fishing in Virginia can be super at times as well. Alaska (I lived in the interior) was excellent for grayling, trout and northern pike. Northern California is underrated
and we here in NCKA country have it pretty good. No complaints from me.

With that being said, my top fishing area is Minnesota. Yes, you will freeze your ass off in the winter and the mosquitos can bite like Jaws but everyday you could pick a new lake or river to fish. Free public access boat ramps to thousands of lakes. I have caught walleyes and saugers at times on nearly every cast. Smallmouth bass fishing to die for. Big northern pike and musky. Great panfish. Flathead and channel cats galore in the bigger rivers. The culture in many areas of the state is pure fishing. Both the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers offer some over the top fishing even in the heavily populated Twin Cities area. Fishing mega-lakes like Mille Lacs, Rainy, Lake of the Woods etc. have whole cities of ice houses and road networks on them in the winter. Thousands of cars on the lakes with parties and celebrations going on in the middle of winter. There is nothing like fishing in a warm little ice house with bunks/carpet/stove/tv/beer and holes in floor with fish flopping all over the place during the afternoon/evening yellow perch/crappie/walleye bite. Ice fishing is a blast.

For (fresh water) ocean-lovers, Lake Superior offers the next best thing with outstanding fishing for most trout and salmon species and plenty of thrills and chills in the danger department. I will always be drawn back to that lake that is so big and deep that the water in it could cover the entire lower 48 states to a depth of 10 feet. This is what's called the North Shore of Minnesota. P.S. I agree with some of the posters about Michigan. They have fantastic fishing too. So does Wisconsin.
 






   

You did not really say why you are moving. Taxes, politics, outdoor opportunity, work, economics of retirement... That could help guide things a bit.

if i  HAD to move.....hmmmmm...Ca.

Lived most of my life in California. Lived in Idaho and Texas too. Texas, I hated, but it kept calling and I moved back two years ago and found out I belong here. I have access to great fishing and hunting spots through friends and am close to some of the best lakes in the state. Plus being just below Oklahoma I have access to what they have to offer too.

Living here has been great. I never have been able to retire in California, but thanks to circumstances in life, I was able to do so here. I'm still young and now am having a hard time planning my weeks out with hunting or fishing opportunities. Home I have now is too darn big for just the wife and I but we are in a great neighborhood. 

If I could have done what did here living in California and afford it, I would have stayed. I miss the ocean and those ugly lingcod.

I'd waffle between HI & AK...............oh, lower 48 other than Cali .......I'd say Oregon or Washington.

I'm a West coast/Pacific Ocean kinda guy.