new to the area..good bass lakes?

[bassfshin24]

Im new to the metro area and i am looking for some really good bass lakes. I want to kind of stay away from the larger lakes for now like Tonka, White bear, Prior. Can anyone tell me some of the smaller lakes that have good bass fishin with boat access?

[Craigums]

Lots and Lots and Lots of lakes in the area. What I have done in the past is just look at a map and pick out 5 or so lakes in your area that are close enough for you to drive to. Then check out the DNR lakefinder to get more information on the lakes. Sorry I didn't name any small lakes though, there is just too many... here is a link

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/index.html

[Aaron Carrell]

What area exactly do you live in and how far are you willing to drive. Last year my main goal was try out MORE lakes and see what I thought of them and I sure found a few gems that just honestly can't get too much traffic and are fairly quiet (always makes it nicer on the water). If you had a specific direction from say, St. Paul, since thats where your "location" is set to, then I could maybe point you in the right direction.

And to be honest here, the majority of my experience is south and west metro as far west as Waconia and as far as south as a few even in Faribault.

[TonkaBass]

Often the crowds aren't all that bead on the larger lakes... There are some real nice lakes that don't get much pressure west of the metro though.

[french_lake_kid]

What area exactly do you live in and how far are you willing to drive. Last year my main goal was try out MORE lakes and see what I thought of them and I sure found a few gems that just honestly can't get too much traffic and are fairly quiet (always makes it nicer on the water). If you had a specific direction from say, St. Paul, since thats where your "location" is set to, then I could maybe point you in the right direction.

And to be honest here, the majority of my experience is south and west metro as far west as Waconia and as far as south as a few even in Faribault.

Still alot of pressure down here, fishing and recreational. Probs no where near up ther but still bad Let me know if you decide to head down here. Btw, Welcome

[Katman]

In STP... I'd recommend Gervais!

[pearsoneric71]

try fishing smallies on the river. unreal how good it is. I would try anywhere from champlin to montacello 4 smallies. world class!!!!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Welcome to MN.. Great to have you with us.. you will find that MN has probably some of the best bass fishing in the nation. We may not have as large a fish as some other, but the quality of fishing is hard to be disapointed with.

As for what lake?.. its really hard to name a bad one. All the metro lakes are pretty decent. I am in the Chisago Lakes area and feel the fishing up here is pretty darn good. But plenty of good lakes in the cities as well.. I would get familiar with the DNR web page as another has suggested. Look for lakes which are catch and release.. I feel those may be some of the best...

[bassfshin24]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I will just fish every lake that i can and see what i come up with.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sounds like a ton of fun!!!! If your ever going to be up in the hsolist area let me know and I will keep an eye out for you. Or if you see my boat, stop and say hi.. I plan on taking the wrap off soon, but who knows how soon, soon is? LMAO.. I can be a tad lazy at times..

[Cecil]

Any chance to show off the boat...

[Deitz Dittrich]

you know you want a ride.

[bassfshin24]

i will definitely stop and say hi if i see ya out. I wont get my boat up here until opener weekend of bass....still looking for a place to store it though, thats becoming a problem

[ShoreGuy1984]

Wow, I think I have seen your boat on North Center in the past before.

bassfshin24, try Gander Mtn. I think they usualy store boats.

[TonkaBass]

you know you want a ride.

Can I go for a ride??? (and get a drop shotting lesson?) lol

[gunning]

Deitz nice boat what’s the color scheme under the wrap. I'm fixing to get a new boat in a year or two and I've been trying to do a little research lately. It’s hard to find bad comments about Bass Cat. Some of their used boats fall into my price range 12,000-14,000k I'm thinking maybe a pantera.

What boat is that a Couger FTD and how does it ride. By the looks Bass Cats seem a little narrower than other bass boats does that mean they chain walk a little more than other bass boats.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Gunning. Supposedly, this is the color of my boat under the wrap... I'll find out the first really nice warm day soon.. LOL..

You will have to look real hard to find a BassCat owner that doesnt love the boat. I looked for one for quite a while. Within a week of buying my boat I got a call from the head of service dept calling and asking if I had any questions, and welcoming me to the "Family"..

My boat is a Puma, its the exact same hull as the Cougar, but floor layout is different. The cougar has slightly less storage and gas tanks in the rear. The puma has slightly more storage and a different front deck and has the gas tank under the seats as well as twin saddle tanks in the rear.

Fluker-a member on here has Pantera 4, and I am fairly sure there is another member who has a Pantera 2(Sproguy? maybe) If your ever in Chisago Lakes, feel free to look me up and I will give you a ride and let you check out the fit and finish.. I have fished out of Flukers P4(which has the exact same floor lay out as my Puma) and it fishes about the same.. Great boat! My front deck is just slightly larger,

[Deitz Dittrich]

Shoreguy- just saw your post.. it was probably me.. I fish N/S Center quite a bit.. I would call it my home lake... I live just across the street from the access on South Center, so its quick and easy to get on .. USUALLY..

[TonkaBass]

Deitz nice boat what’s the color scheme under the wrap. I'm fixing to get a new boat in a year or two and I've been trying to do a little research lately. It’s hard to find bad comments about Bass Cat. Some of their used boats fall into my price range 12,000-14,000k I'm thinking maybe a pantera.

What boat is that a Couger FTD and how does it ride. By the looks Bass Cats seem a little narrower than other bass boats does that mean they chain walk a little more than other bass boats.

Chine walking has to do with how much of your hull is in the water at high speed... according to J.D. power

[Deitz Dittrich]

Thanks for bringing this back up Adam(tonka).. He has a point, any performance hull is going to chine walk.. Just not enough boat touching to off set the pull of the prop.

Does my boat chine.. you bet it does.. have I learned to drive it.. No.. I have got 76 out of my boat, with more throttle to go. I know from other people who have driven my same set up.. if I had a clue, I should get 82..

My boat is as stable as it gets at 73..

ah hhigh performance hulls will chine walk.. if it doesnt its not getting its full potential.

My Triton 186 PDC with a 150 Johnson would chine if it was just me, low tanks, no gear.. I got 64 out of it.. with a chine and driving through it..

I have had my puma for less than a year, and it has a hydro jack plate, which adds another varrible.. And to be real honest I am quite happy with 75... LOL 8-)

[gunning]

Deitz that looks very sharp.

[gunning]

I guess chain walking is the one thing that might be a little intimidating about a bass boat. I would be going from driving a 90h Crestliner Sportfish that might go 40mph to a boat going 60mph+ it would take some getting use to. I grew up on a lake and been driving boats for over 15 years but I don't know if I would like to be going 65mph get that "loose feeling" and then hit a rogue wave driving into the sun LOL. You tube bass cat boats and then watch the BCB launch video.

[Deitz Dittrich]

gunning- the biggest thing I think people dont understand is. Just because your boat can do 80mph, doesnt mean you have to go 80 mph. For the most part I get the best fuel economy at about 4400 RPMs which is 50-55 mph. Not that I would suggest it, but an 8 year old could drive my boat at that speed, very stable and no chine at all at those speeds. My boat does not get slippery till about 72.

[Moe Szyslak]

Do other states have higher legal lake speed limits than us? I didnt know ours was 75 mph. LOL

[Deitz Dittrich]

Moe- While I know some lakes in MN have a speed limit(IE Minnetonka has a 40 mph limit.) Many do not. The rule states you may not be driving in a wreckless manner.