Texas Tops Florida (Or So Says Alabama)

What's with Texas?

Back in March, three Lone Star State pros rolled into Florida and took one-two-three at the Bassmaster Elite event on the St. Johns River.  That's home turf for guys like Shaw Grigsby and Terry Scroggins.

Adding insult to injury,  in the recent Bassmaster 100 Best Bass Lakes in the U.S., Texas one-upped the Sunshine State with 8 lakes, versus our 7. The list was picked by editors of Bassmaster Magazine, based out of the Bassmaster headquarters in Alabama--which you think would be neutral territory for the incipient inter-state rivalry between Florida and Texas.  (At this point, we're not sure what to think, after Florida native Chris Lane bought a house in 'Bama).

Florida lakes to make the list included Lake Okeechobee (No. 2), Kissimmee Chain (No. 21), Everglades (36), Lake Seminole (40), Lake Tarpon (57), and the Harris Chain of Lakes (73).

Texas had the No. 1 spot, with Falcon Lake, an 83,000-acre reservoir that straddles the Rio Grande. Much of Falcon is in Mexico. It's infamous for drug cartel crimes, including the 2010 murder of a tourist on a jet ski.  In defense of the Bassmaster top choice, the editors did note that Falcon routinely yields tournament bags with 8-pound fish averages.  Florida's Lake O, currently on a hot streak, is producing 6- and 7-pound averages for pros like Ish Monroe (a Californian, we might add), who claimed victory at the Bassmaster Elite event in Okeechobee recently. There aren't any pirates on Okeechobee, that we're aware of anyway.

To compile the list, Bassmaster editors said they consulted fish and wildlife department electroshock surveys and catch rates, as well as details on accessibility and stocking. Outside experts weighing in included officials with B.A.S.S. Federation Nation,  a blue ribbon panel of outdoor writers, Bassmaster Elite Series professional anglers and fishing industry veterans.

To see the complete Bassmaster Top 100 list, click here.

To see a Sunshine State homefield analysis, courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), click here.