Where does Illinois land on the list of Best States for Fishing?

Illinois is known for being a great place to get pizza, watch a pro sports game, and enjoy city life. But is the Land of Lincoln one of the best states to go fishing in? Find out where Illinois is on the Best & Worst States for Fishing list.

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According to the website lawnstarter.com, Illinois is the 12th best state in the country for fishing! Illinois is ahead of more "outdoorsy" states like Maine, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. So why is Illinois so high on this list? On the site they say...

"We compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on community interest, access to gear and bait shops, license affordability, and proximity to water sources among 22 total metrics."

Illinois ranks 3rd in the country for affordability, 17th for the community, 25th for access, and 41st in supplies.

Which states finished at the top of the list? Florida was number one followed by Alaska, Montana, Minnesota, and Texas rounding out the top 5. The worst states for fishing? Nevada is last right behind Arizona, Utah, Connecticut, and Mississippi.

For our readers on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River, where did Missouri fall on this list? Well, Missouri comes in at 18th ranking 5th for affordability, but 40th for access. To see the full list of Best and Worst States for Fishing in 2022 just click here! 

I think part of what gives Illinois a bump in these rankings is that Illinois does have access to the Great Lakes, also Illinois has multiple large rivers to spend some time casting out a line. Do you think these ratings are accurate?