In the lower 48 it would be hard to beat Idaho. More miles of free flowing rivers than any other state, the mountain cutthroat streams of other western states, along with Sea Run Steelhead and Salmon. Countless high mountain lakes and streams, some holding monster Cuts, Rainbows, and Brookies. Several large reservoirs and lakes that contain almost all freshwater species to be found in the lower 48.... What fisherman hasn't fished or dreamed of fishing the Snake, Salmon, Clearwater, Henry's Fork, Lochsa, Selway, Kelly Creek, North Fork of the Clearwater, S.F. of the Clearwater, St. Joe...just to name a few, and having the largest strain of steelhead run right through the middle of my home town is just icing on the cake.....................

Oh I don't know, maybe COLORADO !
With all the GOLD MEDAL waters, fly innovation,etc.
Above and beyond as far as fly-fishing goes.
Sorry, you asked.

MICHIGAN!? You'll never convince this Buckeye that there is anything good in Michigan.

I'm torn between California and Florida but I'm gonna go with California. Nothing beats the trout fishing in the Sierra Nevadas and the bass fishing is like no other. Also Californias natural beauty is second to none. I'll be there next month. I'll take some pics.

yeah, I'm with Sue. Horrible. I hate fishing here ;)

I would have to go with the smokey mountains in North Carolina. I make at least 3 trips a year to that area.

Michigan is awesome, but I say Florida. I'm also biased, having grown up there, but there are about 1000 different fish you can cast a fly to up and down the coast. There's bluewater fishing, flats fishing, back country fishing, reef fishing--all of which can be plied with a fly rod: Bonefish, tarpon, permit, cobia, pompano, blackfin tuna, false albacore, skipjack, jack crevalle, amberjack, redfish, snook, sailfish, kingfish, spanish mackerel, wahoo, spinner sharks, blacktip sharks, sand sharks, grouper, mangrove snapper, black drum, a shad run up north, blue runners, bar jack, ladyfish, tripletail...

And that doesn't even factor in the freshwater possibilities of slobbery largemouth bass, peacock bass, bream and bluegill, grass carp, bowfin, gar and all the other weird invasive stuff that eat flies.

Choice two: Montauk.

Big O is right. After fishing the Roaring Fork (awesome), i gotta say Colorado. I know one thing, it ain't NJ

I never in a million years thought I'd say this.

Texas.

I could happily fish in Texas the rest of my life. You've got outstanding big bass impoundments, clearer rivers than anything in Colorado, with everything from trout to smallmouth to huge gar. Then of course you've got some of the best red fishing flats in the world. Hell, you can go tarpon fishing off of jetties in Texas...

Alaska hands down...
fishing superlatives apply...

we can fit nearly 7 Michigan's into Alaska's borders with a fraction of the population...

Despite my bias, I have to agree with Tim. Texas will always be my "go to" for outdoor recreation, especially fishing. Plenty of year-round chances for both fresh and saltwater species, not to mention the various difficulty and thrill levels offerred. In fact, the best trout fishing in Texas is during the winter months! I haven't fished the northern states, but not many places offer great freshwater streams, lakes, ponds, and saltwater flats within the same border.

Well, there's a guide that moved from out west to Michigan ... he says the trout fishing here is the best. I don't know ... maybe it's because you're never any farther than about 6 miles from water. Maybe because of the 3,288 miles of shoreline and 2,091 miles of rivers and streams. Or its the blue ribbon trout streams, one so internationally revered it is known as the "Holy Waters." Maybe it's because of the fairly predictable and extensive hatches. Maybe it's the sleepless nights during the hex or iso hatches when you are surrounded by big browns thrashing the water all around you in pitch black darkness ... and it all suddenly stops and your heart pounds harder because of the heavy muffled 4 legged footfalls behind you. Perhaps it's the spring and winter steelhead runs, or the salmon that are still running this year in June! Maybe all of the above, but to me it is because there aren't any freaking sharks ... ever since Jaws ....

Now I just have this sudden need to be on the water.

I hear "best" and I think "diverse". So I understand why you'd pick Michigan. IMHO, Michigan is a good pick.

But for true diversity, I think the state has to offer ample choices between fresh and salt water, like Romano sez. Texas?? I dunno...But Florida, definitely. More water all the way around in that state.

My home state of Alaska, for all it's incredible attributes, doesn't cut it mainly because the fishing season is simply too dang short. I shudder to think that a little more than 3 months from now, my rods will be put away for another year...

Easy for me being new to the sport, I've only fly fished at home in Kansas and away in Missouri. I prefer the Ozarks of Missouri. Hope to practice some in Colorado and Wyoming in the coming years.

To Mr Romano : TEXAS CLEARER RIVERS ! ! !
Are you "out of your cotton pickin' mind" ?
Sue is right, I was wrong Colo. fishing is TERRIBLE.

Bored? Try a tiger musky on a fly.

Big O - Obviously you're on the wrong rivers...

No Sir, It's not the water it's the folks. LOL

My bias makes me say Washington is a good one, maybe not the best, but I'd cast my vote for one of the Pacific Northwest states (Idaho Oregon or Washington). Really diverse waters in a relatively short distance, and salmon and steel kick it up a notch too.

The Southeastern part of Minnesota has great trout streams . Wisconsin has good fishing , too .
I started fishing for trout in Arizona .

So, it's make your case...Frank Amato, Trey Combs, Randall Kaufmann, Ron Cordes, Patrick F. McManus, Jim Teeny, Greg Loomis, Ralph Wahl, Ben Schley, Dick Lawson, Jon Flambures, Ken McLeod, Enos Bradner, Bill Bakke, Al Knudson, Harry Lemire, Walt Johnson, Frank Headrick, and Judge R.O. Olson all lived, worked and fished the Stillaguamish, Snohomish, Skagit, Hoh, Queets, Bogachiel, Quillayutte, Saulk, Skykomish, Toutle, Lewis, Columbia, Sol Duc, Hamma Hamma, Elwha, Dungeness, Cowlitz, Satsop, Moclips and Quinault for 20+ pound steelhead on a dry or wet fly while other target species include the Golden, sea-run cutts, Browns, "bows", Dolly Varden, Kokanee, eastern brook, LMB and SMB, bluegill, perch, crappie, walleye and channel cats are fished in our thousands of lakes and streams along with king, silver and jack salmon, true cod, ling cod, chinooks, tyee and humpies, while blue fin and albacore tuna are fished out of Ilwaco and Gray's Harbor. Puget Sound is 15 minutes from four major population centers with ample launches available along with hundreds of miles of saltwater shoreline bank fishing. Sage, and Loomis are only two of our many world-class rod builders while the list of major retail resources for our sport seem endless. In review...salt water, fresh water fly fishing at sea-level up to 5,000 feet, fly-tying legends who fish and document their publications with their own photographs only enhance who we are and how we fish our rain-sweetened rivers and lakes in Washington State.

New york by far has the most diverse fishery in the counrty. where else can you fish for trophy trout (catskills), salmon, steelhead, monster browns, trophy smallmouth (Lake Erie), musky, pike, and of course stripers, blues all in one state. This makes NY one tought state to beat and we have one of the lowest lisc. fees for out of staters in the east.

Where are you Utahns,remember the navajo lands,green river,and the reservoirs;scofield,strawberry etc.etc. For me, the best fly fishing waters are in Utah.