Instead of Rayburn....smallies...

[Guest Bigguyone]

Looking to make a trip from texas to either mn or wi likely...few guys I've met here want to chase smallies and a bonus musky as they almost take Rayburn for granted...

I've fished vermillion quite a bit but it seemed tougher last time than I'd like for a first trip.

Hard part is flying so need a place that includes good boats or a way to rent a couple good boats.
American plan lodge would be great but fine with private house/cabin if boats can be rented on lake or delivered.

What lake would you recommend?

Thank you in advance!!

[delcecchi]

Mille Lacs.   Big smallies, infrastructure, and Muskies too.    Vermilion is beautiful and has good fishing.   Probably rent a boat from Aronson's or Timbuktu or maybe Grubens.   

[Guest Sdub]

Having fished many lakes from  Okeechobee to Lac Suel (incl. Rayburn, vermilion, and Mille Lacs), there is nothing like northern WI. Particularly Vilas and Oneida Counties. Yes, MN is the land of 10k lakes, but WI is the land of 15k. For SMB or Musky you can’t go wrong with central/north MN, but the lakes and forests in northern WI are unmatched. Try Trout Lake, if you enjoy fishing clear water/deep structure, or Lac Vieux Desert if you prefer the convenience of shallow water. Or do yourself a real favor and fish one of the countless smaller lakes in between. Too many to ever see an excess of fishing pressure. And if the results still aren’t what you’d hoped,  you can always hit the Bay of Green Bay on your way out, which is the top musky, walleye, and SMB water in the world.