South Carolina Ranks #5 Bass Fishing in the Country

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Kurt Mazurek | Last updated 3/20/24

Per reporting on foxcarolina.com, South Carolina has been making a steady climb up the ranks of top fishing destination states. FishingBooker.com is a worldwide platform for booking fishing trips, and they did a survey last year ranking the best US fishing states. The Palmetto state came in at number 11 in the ranking. However, this year, South Carolina has jumped to #5.

An undeniable contributor to that growth is the focused efforts of VisitAnderson.com's Executive Director, Neil Paul. “Our numbers continue to show that people come from all over the country to fish here at Lake Hartwell, and then with the recent success at Lake Murray, when they’ve hosted several national level events, and Santee Cooper's national level events, it gives an opportunity for the whole country to see what our lakes are able to produce,” says Paul.

Paul was instrumental in the development of Anderson County’s Green Pond Landing and Event Center on Lake Hartwell, making it the perfect place to hold large bass fishing tournaments.

“The tourism folks in communities that host these fishing events, really put a lot of emphasis on the experience and taking care of people when they’re here. And so, I think when you combine a destination fishery with a fishing community and folks that really put a lot of pride in the experience they deliver to guests, it’s a success for everyone,” says Paul.

Additionally, in Bassmaster's 2023 list of the top 25 bass fishing lakes of the southeast, South Carolina had three entries—Lake Murray -#1, Santee Cooper Lakes -#17, and Lake Hartwell -#19. So, according to the world's authority on all things bass fishing, South Carolina will not disappoint.

With more fishable water, better bass populations, and beautiful access facilities like Green Pond Landing in Anderson County, it’s easy to see why bass fishing in South Carolina is on the rise. I’d suggest planning a South Carolina bass fishing trip now.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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