Five (More) North American Fishing Experiences on My Bucket List

When I compiled my recent list of “Ten North American Dream Fishing Trips,” I knew that is wasn’t a comprehensive survey, nor was it meant to be. It wasn’t hard to identify ten awesome bucket list fishing experiences, although it might’ve been painful if I had been forced to rank them. If I have my way, I’ll end up enjoying all of them sooner or later, but each time I refresh Google Discover or my Facebook feed I’m made acutely aware of even more “can’t miss” opportunities for angling excellence. It’s enough to make you want to hit the road right now. If I didn’t have to work to afford the trips I already take, that’s what I’d do.

While I still want to fish on at least six continents before I kick the bucket, and I have plenty of foreign travels already on the schedule, many of the greatest or most meaningful fishing trips I look forward to are right here in North America. In fact, I can think of several within a few hours of home. Divide the continent into six or seven equal portions and I’m pretty sure I could come up with five or six for each segment without straining the old noggin. That’s something I’ll undertake down the road, but for the time being here are five special destinations that are on my mind right now. The fishing comes first, of course, but each one offers something a little bit special on top of that – be it history, the way you get to the fish, the food or the scenery.

Wingate’s Lunker Lodge

I can think of other bass fisheries in both Florida and Georgia that are more attractive to me than Lake Seminole on the basis of the bite alone, but few have historical landmarks on them like Wingate’s Lunker Lodge in Bainbridge, Georgia. Bass Fishing Hall of Famer and lodge founder Jack Wingate died almost a decade ago, but both he and Seminole are critical elements of my favorite sport’s history. Wingate referred many of his top customers to Ray Scott to fish the first All American Bass Tournament on Beaver Lake, Arkansas; indeed, he fished it himself and was said to be a fierce competitor.

Although I’ve yet to experience it in person, I’ve seen numerous photos of the famous Wingate’s Lodge entry/exit sign. As you drive into the lodge, it reads, “Cuz, they bit yesterday,” and as you leave you’re forced to endure “Cuz, they’ll tare it up tomorrow.”

Gaston’s White River Resort

The Ozarks region is the cradle of a great deal of bass fishing history, and the White River in particular is notable in the bass world not only because into famous tournament waters, but also because it gave rise to the career of Ranger Boats founder Forrest L. Wood. It also happens to be an incredible trout fishery, just below Bull Shoals Lake. The idea of ripping jerkbaits for big browns appeals to me greatly, and Gaston’s is the place to do it. My friend Steve Wright, the smartest and potentially most unlikely person ever to write for B.A.S.S., penned the definitive book on Ozarks region trout fishing, and I’d like to have him join me for the day on the water. I’d stay at Gaston’s because every time B.A.S.S. goes to the area I see pictures of the dining room which is decorated top-to-bottom with historical fishing photos, old motors and other memorabilia. I absolutely like that kind of stuff, almost as much as I like fishing and good food. If I catch a big brown trout in this famous cold water fishery, that’s a bonus, and I’ll add on a couple days at Bull Shoals, since Table Rock is the only lake in the region I’ve fished so far. Maybe I’ll go to Norfork or Taneycomo, too. I might combine this with a trip to Mountain Home, Arkansas, to pick up a Bass Cat Boat. I’ve owned five of them and just ordered my sixth. I’d like to see where they’re born.

Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort

I had not heard of Nimmo Bay until I interviewed basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, who mentioned helifishing from the Nimmo Bay Resort in British Columbia as his ultimate bucket list trip. I’ve certainly taken float planes and other small aircraft to remote fishing destinations before—in Brazil, Africa and Alaska, to be precise—but I’ve only been on a helicopter once, and that was to go dogsledding on an Alaskan glacier rather than fishing. My Alaskan trips have helped me to appreciate trout and salmon, but most of all to enjoy fishing places that no one else has trampled all season. At over $6,000 a day for 1-2 people and $10k+ for 3-5 people, I’ll need to save my pennies. This is decadently luxurious—you get your own helicopter for the day--and probably worth it. Remember, hearses don’t have saddlebags.

Louisiana Redfish Lodge

Venice, Louisiana is the only fishery on this list where I’ve previously wet a line, and while I’ve gotten a taste of how good it can be, I’ve also been left wanting more. Both lodges I’ve fished with ran by a strict clock – we could’ve had no bites until 1:55pm, then had the water start frothing with hungry fish and the guides still would’ve been back at the dock by 2. Also, the one time we got into a topwater situation, we were told by the guide that he did not want us using treble hooks. From everything I’ve seen and heard about Mike Frenette and his family, they are true stewards of this region and despite thousands of days on the water they wake up excited to go to work each morning. That’s what I’ve been told by literally a “who’s who” of industry folks, and my interviews with Frenette himself have led me to believe the same thing. Their food pics consistently make me salivate, too. I need to call him, make a reservation and get some big bull redfish on the calendar pronto.

New River Smallmouths

I’ve caught quality smallmouths in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and Bay de Noc, but most of my river fishing for brown bass has led me to smaller specimens. While the lake fish are definitely strong, I know that the river beasts are almost a different animal, and I want to catch a long, dense bronzeback that has built its muscles fighting current for years. Fortunately there’s a place in my home state to do that. It’s not close, but at four hours away it’s doable for a couple of days on the water. Unfortunately, as a result of laziness, oversight or scheduling conflicts I’ve never taken advantage of that proximity. The ancient New River is tens of millions years old and loaded with big smallmouths (as well as some largemouths, spots, walleye and those evil muskies), but it takes a raft or jet boat to get to the best sections of water. I suppose that’s part of why I haven’t been...yet. I’d love to catch a big river smallie on a spinnerbait or even a tube, but as long as I’m dreaming I’ll ask for a topwater strike.