city to live in

[RatFaceMcD]

Ennis, MT comes to mind. I really like Bozeman. I'll probably end up somewhere back in Colorado, though.

[stanbery]

Lets see Durango area is very nice or Redding on north is a good option as well.

Jon

[Flyjunkie]

I would suggest with some of these Locations that one visits the town/City in the dead of Winter and see how the Cold and snow effect your views on living there..... lotsa folks only visit a place in the middle of summer and think it's all great...but they have no clue as to what it would be like living in snow for 6 months of the year....

I'll stay here in Los Angeles.. easy enough to grab a Plane flight to Baja, or Montauk, or Seattle..etc.... Got the Pacific Ocean right here as well... and 6 hours driving time puts me in Mammoth.... and i do not have to live in Snow all Winter long....

[fflutterffly]

You all have wonderful suggestions. My father always said, as Dean has suggested, you visit someplace and live there for months before you move.

[fish-on-bro]

I would love to retire in California (our weather is the best) but with the state falling apart, think the taxes may eat me alive. I can't see working till I'm 70 so some state employee can retire at 50 with 98% of his base pay then claim skin cancer on their nose then the pention is now tax free. OOOps did I let out the secret sorry! Nevada, Utah or Colorado looks good to me.

Fish-on-bro, out....

[Artin]

I'm with Pete and fish-on-bro....
This state has become too "Liberal" for me.... it wants too much of my money because back in the hay day that idiot Jerry Brown allowed state workers to unionize and milk us for too high of pay and pension through their democratic politicians they have in their pockets... Too many taxes to keep too small of the workforce happy... I could rant on but I'm voting Republican in the next election...
So I'd say, if I were to move it would be Oregon... Ha,
I take the jobs I provide with me and pay less tax while on a prime Steehead river.... oh and did I mention most of the money I make I get to keep.... if any.... Ha

Artin
P.S California USED to be nice place to live..... I can do without the sunshine no prob.

[Papasequoia]

This state has become too "Liberal" for me....
So I'd say, if I were to move it would be Oregon... Ha,
I take the jobs I provide with me and pay less tax while on a prime Steehead river.... oh and did I mention most of the money I make I get to keep.... if any.... Ha
Artin
P.S California USED to be nice place to live..... I can do without the sunshine no prob.

I don't know, Artin, you better talk to Duckdog first, Oregon might be even more liberal than you think CA is.

anywhere in oregon is canceled out by the liberal state gov.-- too bad.

Personally, I find CA getting more and more conservative all the time, so I guess it is all a matter of perception. Not that any of that crap will matter to me when I'm retired. I'd rather focus on the outdoors activities and the cultural activities when it comes to choosing a place to settle down. Besides, it's the community that is more important, if the politics matters to you. For example, there is a big difference between Orange County and San Francisco when it comes to politics and lifestyle even though they are in the same state.

[Flyjunkie]

ARTIN,

You really want Change??? don't vote Republican or Democrat... Both Major Parties don't give a Rat's butt about you or me... Vote 3rd party... if enough people vote 3rd party, it will probably wake those major party scum to the fact We don't buy their crap anymore.... if they don't wake up, they'll at least be out of office.... Vote 3rd Party... there's no other way to change and turn this country around....
(I am very proud of the fact I've voted 3rd party all my adult life....)

[FlyinFish]

Artin, dude, there's no good kabob meat in Oregon... what are you thinking!?

OR and WA are some great places to live. Good people. Good businesses. Good beer and good food. Whatever you do, just keep it on the west coast cause dats the BEST COAST! Woot!!

[Artin]

Arvin,
True that.... that's one of the things other than family that's keeping me in LA. Oh, I could never live on the east coast... I'm a west coaster. I would never rank out!!! But the east has some VERY good salt water fishing! DEAN! MONTAUK!

Papaseqoia,
That may be right... I am just frustrated with the way the state is going! I read a very interesting article a young guy about my age wrote very bright too. He went to Europe and got a chance to talk with the local youth around the mid 20's-30's. I will find it and post it. It's a very interesting piece! Just goes to show that the socialistic gov't pays and creates jobs thing doesn't work. Unions(though needed at one point in time) SHOULD be NO more. State workers, if too many with union power can bankrupt businesses, counties, states and national Government's.
O I'm sick of that.

Dean,
I am a conservative at heart. Though mild one but I don't like to over spend and get into indefinite liabilities... The reason I would choose Republican over Democrat is because of that. Though I don't agree with their conservation values, I do agree to a smaller government and less taxes and responsible wages and pensions. I don't like the fact that our friends are out of work and CAN'T find work(we all have someone close to us) go on living day to day not knowing what will happen to their families if they don't find a job to be in that stressful state. While the state is BROKE and unionized labor has not lost ONE job in the past two years because of "collective bargaining agreement's"! I say * the agreement. Downsize the workforce, half the people working government jobs can be consolidated anyway.
California should file bankruptcy and get rid of the contractual obligations they have with unionized labor. Bring the cost DOWN for crying out loud. We need a businessman/woman in office to figure out the finances of the state or what? Obviously our congress doesn't know it's head from it's butt!

I'm just tired of this bull.... no wonder businesses are leaving and I don't blame them. I would too.
Other than that California is great.
Artin

[flybob]

I love the western states, my wife and I have road tripped our way around many times, Durango/Mancos/Dolores/Rico etc. (Four Corners area) and the Williams/Flagstaff area always seem to stand out for us outside of CA. As for in-state, we really like the ES particularly around the Lee Vining area. But when it is all said and done, coming home to our little (almost paid off) shack in Orange County, well, as Dorthy said, there is no place like home!
I know the state is in the crapper, but so is the whole country! I can't wait to see how many states go up for sale! Heck guess how much of the good ole USA is now owned by China (Bankwise)!

I stopped looking for the greener grass many years ago, when one day I stopped, looked beneath my feet, and lo and behold, I WAS STANDING on the greener grass!

Like others have said, I can always jump in my car or and airplane and go fish those BIG wild places, if fishing is what it is all about......but when winter comes, a little rain and lows in the 30's are ok for this aging body.

[fly addict]

I like Bishop because of the great winter fishing and mild winter weather. But where I live, Dana Point now and have for the past 30 years is hard to beat. I wake up in the morning and look out my window and see the coastline down to San Diego. I already live in a place people want to come and live.

Mark

[COCarp]

Steamboat!

[JGray]

Can't complain about where I am now. Golden Colorado. Can be fishing for wild browns 10 minutes from my home and be downtown watching a Broncos game in 20 min. In 2 hours, can be on some of the best trout waters in the country. That being said though, if I could figure out how to make a living there I would be in Durango Colorado. Its just my favorite part of the state. It has an abundance of all outdoor activities (fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, 4 wheeling, skiing...) and for me it is some of the most beautiful country in the continental U.S.A.

[Rockstar Fisherman]

Well since this is turning economical and political I just have to add this in. As usual, the anti-progress city of Bakersfield has people against the best thing to ever hit this state, the high speed rail. They say that some people/businesses may have to relocated, even a church OMG!!!! Well, we'll debate this for the next 30 years (Westside Parkway) while China, Japan and various European countries build away surpassing one of the largest economies in the world.

I love California for its diversity (geography wise), but *, these politics and SoCal/bay area thinking are really screwing things up. I'll still never leave here, as much as I hate it, it just has too much that I want, WITH a temperate climate! And the fishing can be the best if you do your research and put in your time, just watch some of TU's videos.

If I could handle cold temperatures I'd be much more open to other states. CA is my equilibrium, and yes I have traveled a lot.