Benoit Lake near spooner

[tims]

Coming up to visit family in the area. Anyone have any info on this lake or any lakes in the area? Ice thickness or any general tips would be helpfull. Looking to target mainly panfish, are there any lakes worth trying for eyes around there? Thanks

[Cooter]

Boy, I've never heard of Benoit, but nonetheless you got plenty of lakes in the area to try. Shell has lots of walleyes, no size limit whatsoever. Other than that the only lake I'm familiar with is Lipsett, which has been a pretty good bluegill lake in summer, I've never ice fished it. Good luck, have fun, later. Oh yeah, Spooner lake's a good bluegill lake, where to go there in winter I don't know.

[tims]

Thanks, Lipsett is right across the road from Benoit. Never fished in WI before, should be interesting

[nolte]

Only fished Benoit a few times did OK. I've heard that it does pretty decent for gills, pike, and crappies later in the year. I've got no help on trying to fish it.

There are eyes in Benoit I believe, as well as Lipset. I think the better eye lakes in the area would be Big and Middle Mckenzie, though. They have been worse than normal the last few years.

Hope this helps

[rangerforme]

I'll be in the spooner area Dec 21st through the 26th, I've fished most of those lakes if you are around let me know.

[YouNeedAuthorization]@Inetium.com

[snoozebutton]

That's Rice Lake across the road from Benoit, Lipsett is down the road about 4 miles. Both Rice and Lipsett are good for gills, IMO, Rice is better for pike and Lipsett's a better crappie lake. Benoit's got some nice pike in it but the bluegils are stunted.

[tims]

Thanks for the replys, I didnt make it out due to questionable ice at the time. I will make it up hopefully later this season and will report back.

[rangerforme]

I got out and fished quite a bit around that area over xmas, give me a email at the above address if you want some info. Fishing was pretty good.

[tims]

Email sent

[tims]

I finally made it up for a few days and the fishing was good for panfish. Tried a few of the lakes mentioned above, fished trasition areas and basin edges. Found gills and crappies mixed together for the most part. Biggest crappie went 12.5" a few of the gills were over 9". Walleyes were slow, pike were biting good on the weed edges all day long. It is a nice area and I will be back often. Cheers!

[tims]

Starting to get the lakes in the area dialed in. Found crappies suspended deep on a few lakes, but seemed very inactive. Would pick up a few here and there but they seemed definately negative. Best bite I found was for jumbo gills and crappies on an area walleye lake. I found a weedy sunkin island and punched holes all over. Best area was right on top in the middle of the weeds 4-6 fow. Caught gills all day and as soon as the sun went behind the trees the crappies went nuts! No bait needed as it only slowed me down. #8 shrimpo took all the fish. Iced well over 100 gills and prolly 50 crappies each of the 2 days i fished this spot. Crappies bit from 430 till I left @ 6 each day. Also had the camera down during the day and saw several pike and a few eyes cruising these shallow weeds. Funny thing was that I did not catch or see a single crappie on either day till 4:30. The best thing about it was that ALL these fish were big! Nicest gill was an honest 10" and the biggest crappie was 14". The crappie was a sow, and is going on the wall! Starting to like these WI lakes, not as pressured as most areas in MN.

[Me4labonte]

where you on benoit lake? if not where?