Are Delaware and Michigan better fishing states than Louisiana? This fishing website thinks so

Scott Yoshonis
·2 min read

(KLFY) — It’s no secret that one of the best reasons to live in Louisiana is fishing. Some of the best saltwater and freshwater fisheries on the planet are right here.

But, according to a nationwide fishing-guide booking website, the Sportsman’s Paradise isn’t even in the top five best states in the country for fishing.

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In a new study by the website FishingBooker, Louisiana is ranked as the 7th best state in the nation for fishing, up from 9th last year.

FishingBooker calls itself “the world’s largest platform for connecting anglers and fishing guides, with over 43,000 fishing trips available in more than 2,100 destinations worldwide.”

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“Our extensive research of the US’s fishing opportunities was based on 17 different criteria,” the study said. “Out of these, five criteria were based on FishingBooker’s internal data from hundreds of thousands of fishing trips, reviews, and reports, as well as our industry research.”

The remaining 12 criteria come from publicly available data sources. The study ranks the top ten states as follows:

  1. Alaska

  2. Florida

  3. Delaware

  4. Michigan

  5. South Carolina

  6. Maine

  7. Louisiana

  8. Hawaii

  9. Georgia

  10. North Carolina

“A strong overall performer, the Pelican State did best in the Geography and Financial categories,” the study said. “In other words, going fishing here will be amazing but won’t break the bank! With endless marshes and uniquely rich inshore waters, it makes sense that the Bayou State is on this list.”

Alaska moved into first place this year, up from fourth in 2023. Last year’s shared winners were Florida and Michigan.

According to the study, Alaska took top honors due to having the longest coastline in the country (almost 33,900 miles), and over 94,000 square miles of freshwater at anglers’ disposal.

“According to our research, nearly 60% of Alaskans hold a valid fishing license, which speaks volumes about the amazing fishing locals and visitors enjoy,” the study said.

The study did acknowledge that Louisiana has some of the best fishing in the South.

“The numbers of Redfish, Black Drum, Speckled Trout, and Flounder are astounding, and large specimens are almost always available,” the study said. “Go out into the Gulf, and you’ll come across Red Snapper, massive Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Mahi Mahi, and Billfish.”

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