If you could take five Texas fishing trips this year, what would they be?
Texas has a lot going for it in terms of fishing, which largely comes from its size as a whole. No other resident fishing license in the Lower 48 offers such a wide array of fishing opportunities.
So for all you Texans out there, the year is young. What does your Texas fishing bucket list look like for 2019?
We decided to select our top five fishing destinations in the Lone Star State, which we believe everyone should try for themselves.
Caddo Lake
Sitting at around 25,400 acres, Caddo Lake is no small pond. This bayou is the closest thing to a Louisiana swamp that you'll find in Texas, and happens to be one of the largest flooded cypress forests in the United States.
Caddo Lake is known for its trophy-class largemouth bass fishing, but also offers some great crappie and catfish opportunities.
However, the swamp's most glaring appeal is its beauty, as there are no other Texas fisheries that look like this.
Devils River
The Devils River is sort of like the buried treasure of Texas fishing. Not only is it hard to access due to its remote geographic position and limited number of put-ins, but it's also as beautiful as a pile of gold.
It runs through an area rich with limestone, which helps make the spring-fed water look pristine.
Because of its cold water temperatures, it allows for the best smallmouth bass fishing the state has to offer.
Trinity River
The Trinity River certainly doesn't have the same visual appeal as the Devils River, but it's arguably the best place to catch alligator gar in the world.
If you're fishing the Trinity, you're accepting that you'll be knee-deep in mud for the majority of the day, trying your best to avoid floating trash and the occasional whiff of what smells like sewage.
However, freshwater fishing doesn't get any better than hooking up with prehistoric game fish that weigh between 200 and 300 pounds.
Padre Island National Seashore
Piggybacking off the Trinity River's ability to produce monster fish, Padre Island National Seashore is one of the top destinations for saltwater fishing, particularly shark fishing.
The beauty of Texas shark fishing is that you catch them essentially anywhere on the Gulf of Mexico, but the problem is crowded beaches typically aren't crazy about shark fishermen.
PINS offers complete seclusion, as the nearest sign of civilization is at least 12 miles away, and there's no one there but other fishermen doing the same thing.
Llano River
The Llano River should be on every Texan's bucket list for two reasons. The first is the scenery, and the second is the fact it's home to he the state fish, the Guadalupe Bass.
Like many southerners, Texans are a little shortchanged when it comes to fly fishing destinations, but the Llano is one many don't know about.
In fact, many call the Guadalupe bass the "Texas trout" because it prefers fast-flowing water.
NEXT: 10 THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO BEFORE PICKING UP YOUR HUNTING PUPPY
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