Newbie - What is the best lake for LMB near Bemidji?

[djp1964]

Planning a trip to the area with some buddies.

We are strictly catch & release.

What is the best lake for LMB in the Bemidji area.

Even better if we can rent a boat on that lake, or access it from a lake where we can rent a boat.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks.

Doug

[Raider4ever]

Not many up there. Daughter went to BSU and I looked around for bass lakes. Look on the lake finder section of the MN DNR HSOforum. I saw that Bemidji and Irvin both have them. Bemidji's big but has a lot of nice looking structure and shoreline. They have not been surveyed in quite a while. Get on a map site and see what lakes are around the area you want to fish then hit the lake finder. There is a big map connections book for the Grand Rapids/Bemidji area that lists a bunch of lakes and what's in them. I have one and found it helpful. The fish data is out of the lake finder site though. They do have pointers form locals in the book.

If your C&R'ing, go for Northerns. More of them and more lakes up there with them and you can use the same stuff (topwaters, cranks, jerkbaits, etc.) Just use them with a thin wire leader and don't let them in the boat unless it is a rental. Good luck.

[djp1964]

Thanks -- I have been doing some research and stump shows some promise -- but I don't know much about it --- or access routes.

Anyone?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Went to College in Bemidji, and Married a girl from up there.. I can say... Some of the best bass fishing in the state... Not sure if there are any bad bass lakes..Here is a list in no order.

Stump

Big Bass

Movil

Turtle

Grant

Moose

Big

Plantan

And then there are a ton of small lakes full of bass as well.. but that should keep you busy!

[djp1964]

Wow - thanks. That sound outstanding.

I hate to further impose, but what would be our best options for renting a boat and getting onto Stump?

I found some options on Turtle....

Thanks again,

Doug

[Deitz Dittrich]

djp-short of renting a boat from a resort on Bemidji and then running the river I dont have a clue.. I dont think there are any resorts anywhere near stump. There used to be a landing near the power dam, but that was 25 years ago, and I think its long since been shut down. I am not familiar with water levels, but I have run in a boat many times from bemidji to Stump. You just have to be careful in some areas. Bemidji its self can be very good in the pencil reeds near the exit of the mississippi. But thats really the only area that holds bass.

And there are so many other smaller lakes I didnt mention.. I dont normally like to mention smaller lakes on the net as they will tend to get pounded.. But honestly, I have probably fished them all.. some are not so good.. Others are gold mines..

[RK]

Hiya -

Like Deitz said, many, many good bass lakes in that area. Most of them are grossly underfished. When I lived in Walker I'd pick lakes at random off the map and just go try them. Wasn't disappointed too often. From Bemidji you can head down towards Itasca and Park Rapids or over to the Cass Lake area and find good water within a 30 minute drive too.

Deitz, I didn't realize you fished that area that much. Would be fun to compare notes sometime. And married a Bemidji girl besides. Brave man.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[ratherBfishnJP]

We used to have great luck on Pike Bay for bass with a timber rock jig and leach

[djp1964]

Thanks to everyone for the replies - much appreciated!