Best Bass Fishing Lakes in North America

Let's start by making it clear that this is simply an opinion based article, there is no distinct criteria for ranking the best bass fishing lakes in North America. The only basis for this ranking is the history of bass fishing associated with each body of water.

So what makes one lake better than another in terms of bass fishing?

There are several features that will be prevelant in all good bass lakes such as plentiful cover, vegetation and a hardy supply of baitfish. A properly maintained lake management program also is a key factor in determining the productivity of a bass fishing lake. A good lake management program will keep numbers of catchable bass high and produce larger, healthier bass. A good climate also contributes to the productivity of our top bass fishing lakes.

 All that being said, here are the Best Bass Fishing Lakes in North America.

 5) Lake Ouachita . Arkansas

Coined the "Striped Bass Capitol of the World", Lake Ouachita is home to the best Striped Bass fishing in the South. Ouachita (pronounced Wa-Shi-Taw) is the largest lake entirely inside Arkansas’ borders at 40,100 acres. The lake is as famous for its pristine beauty as its amazing fishing. The lake is over 40 miles long with nearly 1,000 miles of uninhabited shoreline. The lake is surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest, making it a protected area free from houses and businesses. Just raw nature…and amazing bass fishing. Lake Ouachita hosts several major national bass tournaments each year including the prestigious FLW Forrest Wood Cup. Ouachita is home to a large number of guide services, attracting Striped Bass anglers from all over the world. Stripers in the 40 to 50 pound class are recorded every year, with 20 to 30 pound fish relatively common. The majority of Lake Ouachita is flooded timber, some of which reaches depths of 200 feet. Lake Ouachita should be on every bass fisherman’s bucket list, because this lake has it all.  Top 10 Bass Fishing Lakes in Arkansas

4) Diamond Valley Lake . California

Southern California's largest fishing hole is only six years old and doesn't even show up on some maps. But bass anglers are having no trouble finding what is rapidly becoming known as one of the most productive fishing lakes in the state. Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet, California, was opened in late 2003 after a massive construction effort to build three dams enclosing two mountain ranges. What was once a huge cattle ranch is now an angler's paradise covering 4,500 surface acres and more than 26 miles of varied shoreline. In only six fishing seasons, anglers are now regularly catching five-fish bass limits weighing 20 to 25 pounds. The Diamond Valley Lake largemouth bass record stands at 16.43 pounds. There is also a growing population of striped bass in Diamond Valley Lake, with the current record stiper weighing in at just under 30 pounds.

3) Lake Tohopekaliga (Lake Toho) . Florida

Florida bass fishing experienced a few disappointing years in the late 80`s but in recent years, Florida freshwater fishing has made a dramatic comeback. In fact, last year was a banner year for catching trophy bass in Florida, and this year is expected to be even better, according to officials at the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. As a result of a productive lake management program, Lake Toho and a few other well-managed Florida lakes are once again producing the really BIG bass. In fact, the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commissions biologists have indicated that there is one bass over ten pounds for every five acres of lake. Lake Toho is a 22,700 acre shallow lake with a length of 13 miles and a maximum width of over 4 miles.

The certified Lake Toho record bass weighed in at 16 lbs, 10 oz., and the woman's world record was also caught at Lake Toho and weighed an impressive 14 lbs. 5 oz. The largest two-man limit catch of largemouth bass totaled 151.23 lbs. with a 10 fish per licensed fisherman limit. (The current limit is 5 fish per licensed fisherman.)

2) Lake Fork . Texas

Lake Fork was impounded in 1980, resulting in 27,690 acres of prime trophy bass fishing waters in Northeast Texas. Lake Fork offers 315 miles of scenic shoreline, and is just a two hour drive from the Dallas area. Lake Fork Reservoir was established by the Texas Parks and Wildlife, as a premier bass fishing lake, with 732,514 Florida Black Bass being stocked from 1979 through 1987. A combination of restrictive harvest regulations, stocking of Florida strain largemouth, and abundant habitat has contributed to Lake Fork's development as one of the country's premier trophy bass lakes. Flooded timber is found throughout Lake Fork and provides excellent fish habitat. Areas containing hydrilla, milfoil & duckweed, boat houses and docks, and lake points have historically provided some of the best fishing for largemouth bass. Fish will also congregate around bridge pilings and artificial brush piles throughout Lake Fork.

More than 65% of the Texas Top 50 largest bass (including the current state record) and more than half of those entered in the Toyota ShareLunker Program, were caught from Lake Fork, earning it the distinction of the best bass fishing lake in the United States.

1) Lake El Salto . Mexico

Lake El Salto is located deep in the heart of the rugged Sierra Madre mountain range, approximately a 1-1/2 hour drive north of the vacation city of Mazatlan. Lake El Salto is a 24,000 acre impoundment, stretching 20 miles long and offers 45 miles of shoreline. Because of an abundance of structure and cover, and an abundant food source, El Salto offers some of the best largemouth bass fishing in the world.

Lake El Salto was originally stocked with Florida-strain bass in the fall of 1986. The bass at lake El Salto have matured at a fantastic rate because of a fantastic forage base and the catch-and-release practices adhered to by the lakes guide services. Shad were successfully stocked 4 years after the lake opened and other forage species, like tilapia and crawfish are abundant and offer El Salto's trophy bass excellent nutrition for fast growth.

El Salto is the perfect lake for any angler seeking a true trophy bass in the 10 pound plus range. Literally thousands of bass over 10 pounds have been caught and released at Lake El Salto. In fact, no other bass lake in the world can boast as many 10 pound bass as El Salto in the past two years. The lake record of 18 pounds-8 ounces was caught in early September 2000. Largemouth bass in the 8-14 pound class are not uncommon. El Salto is with out a doubt the Best Bass Fishing Lake in North America.