Seeking Guidance

[TN Rick]

There are a group of us (3 to 5 boats) that travel from Nashville, TN to Rainy Lake the last week of June each year. We leave on Friday morning and spend that night in Eau Claire, before getting up Saturday morning and driving north to cross the border at International Falls.

After seeing several fishing shows featuring Smallmouth fishing in northern Wisconsin (during the catch and release season) we are considering stopping for a day or two to try our hand at some of the awsome fishing you seem to have.

We are all fairly experience Southern Bass fishermen and love to catch Smallmouth.

What I am looking for is some suggestions on good (great?) Smallmouth lakes along highway 53 that we might try.

If I need to post this on a different portion of the Wisconsin forum, please let me know. Thanks to everyone in advance for any suggestions.

[Nick Kuhn]

Chetek Chain might be a good place to try. Shell Lake also has some good smallie fishing as well as Long Lake (the big one in Washburn County).

[vman59]

I have fished the Chetek chain for over 15 yrs and have yet to catch one. At one time it was a good smallie lake but their decline has been tremendous. If you are interested in Smallies and I were to guide I would take you to LCO (Lac Courte Oreilles). Its only a short drive east off of 53 on Hwy70. I have fished allot of lakes and as far as smallies go I have yet to find one that would beat it. if you are interested shoot me an email at [email protected] and I will tell you spots on LCO were you can go for smallies

[snoozebutton]

I agree with vman, LCO has a healthy population of smallies along with Grindstone (across the road from LCO) and Big Round a little to the north.

I know it's farther out of the way but if you took a trip to Ashland, the Chequemagon Bay on Lake Superior has some phenomenal smallie fishing.