Bass fishing in PA

[steinybass]

I am not a tax expert at all. But i do know that we have one of the highest gas tax from what I have heard.

[ttranger]

Love fishing Pa., but would never live in Pa. Taxes too high, and the governor is an a$$hole (guarantee, not ONE person here will disagree about the governor! )

NY taxes are even worse, as hard as that may be to believe.

[behls16]

Love fishing Pa., but would never live in Pa. Taxes too high, and the governor is an a$$hole (guarantee, not ONE person here will disagree about the governor! )

Gov is a reasonable dude, been placed in a hellish position this year but has handled it better than most. There's your one sir.


PA is fine a place to live. Eastern half has too many folks from NY and New Jersey and I think it says quite a bit the fact that most guys drive to NY to do any real fishing worth a damn. It's like anywhere, has it's goods and bads with few extremes.

Everyone gripes about the gas tax, it'll cost you a couple extra hundred bucks a year IF you drive a TON. I just ran the numbers. If you drive 15,000 miles per year and your vehicle gets 20MPG, the amount you'll pay in gas tax more than Michigan is $105. Shit you'll save then and then some on your car insurance just by moving to PA

[Moneyshot]

If you have an urge to be close to the city and decent fishing I'd head for Cranberry /Wexford or Butler area. Close to lakes. I'd also seriously look into a 20hp rig. Pymatuning is arguably the best lake in the state but is hp restricted

[zelmo]

Your original post says you can live almost anywhere in Pa. if your job includes traveling much, you might want to look at the Harrisburg area. Airport is easy to navigate. Every highway that goes to major cities in the northeast goes through HBG. You will have Susquehanna River right there, 3 hours or less to Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. Five hours to finger lakes in NY. Weather fairly stable all year.

The problem with that idea is that the only direct flights are to the major hubs. If that is where you want to go fine, but anyplace else you will be changing flights. I almost always drive to Philadelphia or BWI to get direct flights.

As for fishing the Susquehanna you will be limited to a few of the deeper pools with a fiberglass bass boat. Most guys are running tin jets to get to the better fishing spots. As for traveling to fish a 3 hour trip makes for a very long day trip.

If you can live anyplace in the state why PA? I stay because I don't want to move and have solved the boat problem by having two, but if I had to do it over again I would pick a different state. While it is true the governor is horrible that isn't going to get better when he is gone. Too many voters in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas for the rest of the state to overcome. We are doomed to continuing liberal policies.

Unfortunately many of the states in the northeast have the same problem.

[JoePA]

Gov is a reasonable dude

No he's not, not even close.

The only thing about this state that is decent is the location to better fishing. When you go to NY for cheap Gas you know we have horrible policies and even worse leadership in this state!

[behls16]

No he's not, not even close.

The only thing about this state that is decent is the location to better fishing. When you go to NY for cheap Gas you know we have horrible policies and even worse leadership in this state!

I assume the first part comes from an implicit bias but I digress to the second point. Gas price is a blatantly ignorant measure of effective governance, I assume that was an intentionally obtuse statement.

The average american uses 656 gallons of fuel per year. The difference in state gas tax in PA and NY is 15.58 cents/gallon. That's a difference of $102 per year, in other words insignificant and not worth mentioning. I save more than that per gallon just by having a Costco membership.

[Fx20 2011]

Not so fast on that gas theory. Gas can be more than a 20 cent difference in Pa. So for me to fill up my truck I pay an extra $5.00. For some reason gas is that much more expense than out east. Doesn't sound like a lot until you fill up 4 times a month. Again you say well that's only $240 a year. Again some one with deep pockets would say even with that $102 it is still only $342. Thats pocket change you won't even notice it. Funny how you see it.

Of course we all are still paying the Johnstown Flood Tax on liquor. Btw that flood was in 1936 and it was suppose to be temporary tax. It was a 10% tax but was increased to 18% currently.

So it really depends on how you value a dollar when you call things insignificant. People that collect my tax dollars and then spend it always tell me the increase is insignificant. They just don't understand the value of free money.

[behls16]

Not so fast on that gas theory. Gas can be more than a 20 cent difference in Pa. So for me to fill up my truck I pay an extra $5.00. For some reason gas is that much more expense than out east. Doesn't sound like a lot until you fill up 4 times a month. Again you say well that's only $240 a year. Again some one with deep pockets would say even with that $102 it is still only $342. Thats pocket change you won't even notice it. Funny how you see it.

Of course we all are still paying the Johnstown Flood Tax on liquor. Btw that flood was in 1936 and it was suppose to be temporary tax. It was a 10% tax but was increased to 18% currently.

So it really depends on how you value a dollar when you call things insignificant. People that collect my tax dollars and then spend it always tell me the increase is insignificant. They just don't understand the value of free money.

Theory? I didn't present a theory. I gave the numbers on the state gas taxes and the difference it would make on the statistically average american who uses 656 gallons of gas per year. That equates to roughly 13K miles of driving in a vehicle that gets 20MPG, now if you are someone who drives 25K miles a year sure in PA you'll spend $204 more per year than in NY and as you increase the miles driven per year sure that will increase proportionally.

99% of Americans do not watch their finances closely enough to have any standing to complain about $102 dollars. Too many luxuries to little financial literacy.

My point is, people complain about PA and immediately the gas tax is brought up, there are a variety of other reasons that hold far more relevance than the gas tax. In OPs case a move from Michigan to PA would save him on average about $800 dollars a year. There goes the gas tax increase.


***missed your point on booze, not well versed on it but I'm in favor of taxing the bejesus out of all vices, gambling, booze, pot, etc***

[zelmo]

I assume the first part comes from an implicit bias but I digress to the second point. Gas price is a blatantly ignorant measure of effective governance, I assume that was an intentionally obtuse statement.

The average american uses 656 gallons of fuel per year. The difference in state gas tax in PA and NY is 15.58 cents/gallon. That's a difference of $102 per year, in other words insignificant and not worth mentioning. I save more than that per gallon just by having a Costco membership.

Where should I start? Ask the people who can't make ends meet because the governor won't let them earn a living if they have an implicit bias.

I suspect the average American isn't driving a truck and towing a boat. I have a Costco membership and a Sams Club membership. You still pay the gas tax there. If you want to throw money away go right ahead. I have a very comfortable life but I hate wasting money no matter how much it is. The PA gas tax is horrible and is one of those things of which this state should be ashamed. BTW - it was a Republican governor that put the current tax in place so this isn't party bashing.

***missed your point on booze, not well versed on it but I'm in favor of taxing the bejesus out of all vices, gambling, booze, pot, etc***

You sound like exactly the type of person who votes these idiots in. You aren't well versed but think your opinion is of value.

[dartman]

Back to fishing! Not bad fishing in PA.

[Fx20 2011]

While most people don't think of Pa as a bass mecca, those of us that catch them know better. There are so many great places in central and western PA. I don't know much about bass and the eastern art of the state. Ishing is so good I never had a reason to explore the eastern part of the state.

I do have two boats so I can enjoy fishing the many opportunities in PA. Though I will admit my second boat is no jewel, but it gets me on some great lakes with limited HP.

I miss out on some of the best small mouth fishing because I'm not set up to fish rivers like the upper Allegheny or the Youghiogheny River. You need a kayak or something like that.

My point don't ever sell PA short. Where to live? Honestly pick the area you like and makes you happy. I can get anywhere I want from where I live in 2 hours or less. To me that is not a long drive, others may think it's to far.

[zelmo]

Hello Everyone,

I am in the process of accepting a job offer that will require me to relocate. I have been thinking about moving to PA but am not familiar with the state much at all. How is the fishing? How is the hunting? How are the taxes? What are some good areas? What are some bad areas? Really, any information you can think of that might help in the decision making process would be great.

I've been thinking somewhere around the Pittsburg area in the NorthWestern part of the state however, we could go anywhere.

Thanks in advance

What boat will you be running?

[dartman]

While most people don't think of Pa as a bass mecca, those of us that catch them know better. There are so many great places in central and western PA. I don't know much about bass and the eastern art of the state. Ishing is so good I never had a reason to explore the eastern part of the state.

I do have two boats so I can enjoy fishing the many opportunities in PA. Though I will admit my second boat is no jewel, but it gets me on some great lakes with limited HP.

I miss out on some of the best small mouth fishing because I'm not set up to fish rivers like the upper Allegheny or the Youghiogheny River. You need a kayak or something like that.

My point don't ever sell PA short. Where to live? Honestly pick the area you like and makes you happy. I can get anywhere I want from where I live in 2 hours or less. To me that is not a long drive, others may think it's to far.

[SWbass]

I live in the northwestern part of PA and have lakes where I have caught a 100 bass a day and lakes where 10 is a good day, but we definitely have plenty of opportunities from Erie to smaller lakes and rivers.

As far as the politicians both parties are more worried about agendas rather than the people, but I don't give that much thought while I'm fishing

[Big dreams]

What boat will you be running?

No boat as I just sold it. I am looking into boats currently. Looking at fiberglass 20/21 footer but could change if the local water holes require it.

[zelmo]

No boat as I just sold it. I am looking into boats currently. Looking at fiberglass 20/21 footer but could change if the local water holes require it.

That puts you in a good position. Don’t buy a boat until you decide where you want to live, and then get what is most appropriate. As others have mentioned there’s good fishing throughout the state or within a short drive as long as you have the right boat for the area

Make your decision based on the other factors that will make you and your family happy.

[Superpro]

Scotty34, You are definitely a glass half empty person for sure, can you say anything positive? Western Pa has tons of lakes with good fishing for Bass

[bassfisher444]

PolarKraft, which tax(s) do you think are high compared to Ohio? Serious question, not trying to start anything.

Ohio has no personal property tax and no vehicle inspections, not sure about PA. I know they do vehilce inspections up there because a bunch of people complain about it on other forums that I am on.

[Fx20 2011]

Pa has vehicle inspections. Not a big deal.