The best smallmouth fishing, where would you go?

[beeflover]

I've heard that Lake of the Woods or Rainey would be great lakes here in Minnesota. Could anyone advise me on other Minnesota/Wisconsin Lakes that might be better? Do you think there are any better lakes in Canada?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Any advise of options to look at would be appreciated.

[Deitz Dittrich]

best?.. or fave?... Depends on if your going for numbers or size.. or?... I could never pick one... Mille Lacs can be fun.. Rainy is hard to beat.. Vermillion is my personal fave to fish. I also have a lot of fun on the St.Croix.

[EBass]

I've only been on Mille Lacs, but that's a good lake. I just saw a show about the Rainy River and fall smallies on Sat. Midwest fishing I think.

All of them are great, you could put a post in the Canada forum and see what you get up der.

[eyepatrol]

Green Lake near Spicer I think has quite a few smallies in it if I'm not mistaken.

[NBR]

LacLaCroix has always been good. Don't forget the bay at Ashland WI it can be great unless you get blown off.

[Central Bassman]

Seen you guys have said the ones that i would also like to fish i will pick a different one...

I would love to go out to Lake Erie, Its big and also has some big smallies in it

[bassNspear]

Rainy Lake, Kornis and Green are my top three chooses around here.

[BassAkwards]

Gunflint Lake near boundry waters and canadian border. great smallies.

[LEECH21]

There's no smallies in Green....I wouldn't even bother fishin there!

[go4carl]

I've caught some great smallies on Mille Lacs (Pictures) but wading the river and fishing smallies is my favorite. Your usually alone and the thrill of trying to land one in chest deep water is hard to beat.

[beeflover]

Good info guys. I'm real interested in N MN or Canada. Does anybody know of a lake that could beat the Canada side of Lake of the Woods or Rainy Lake. Probably a pickem deal, how good can it get?

I'll look at Gunflint, Vermillion and Lac La Croix. I've heard Vermillion is beautiful.

Lake Erie area is not that nice (except Put in Bay) and the big lake is rough! Way tougher than Mille Lacs. I like pristine wilderness! It's a lot farther too, 900 miles.

I'm thinking about one of those Voyagaire houseboats and pulling my bass boat behind. Crane Lake and Kabetogama, Anybody tried that? Is it true that these lake areas are completely undeveloped? Has anybody been on this lake chain?

[DougSpringBay]

Hey Dietz,

Pop me an email about this.

[email protected]

Doug

[Daze Off]

I'd have to toss in the Mississippi River from Coon Rapids all the way up past Brainard, the Rum River, Mille Lacs, and Koronis as my favorites. Little Birch is good too.

Daze Off

[bassNspear]

Nice Pictures Man. You get that pike spearing or angling

[go4carl]

angling, medicine lake on sunday. Glo Rapala with a minnow.

[matthothand]

beeflover, I've done the the houseboat deal about 7 years now on kabetogama, rainy, and crane and that is a great trip. Truly tough to beat. There are plenty of smallies with trophies available.

If I had to narrow it down to 5 spots in MN/Northern WI for numbers and chance at a trophy...

Vermillion

Mille Lacs

Chequamegan Bay

St. Croix River

Rainy

[Ray Esboldt]

Lake Vermilion is one of my favorite lakes to fish. I might know the east end of that lake better than any other lake I have been on, and I still find new things that are exciting. I don't know if it's the worlds best, but when it's good it is really good.

Mille Lacs is an awfully fun lake to fish. Every cast you have a legitimate shot at a 20".

Minnesota's rivers are some of my favorites. You can usually find a stretch of river without a lot of boat traffic and some smallmouths willing to eat.

There's a bunch of others I haven't been to yet that are on my list. Just too many lakes, and not enough time.

[superbee]

There are some really good smallmouth lakes on the Canadian side of the border. It depends on what your budget is, you can do drive in, boat in, or fly in trips. They all can offer you some great fishing. The fly in trips you can be the only one on the lake. If you are looking for a boat in outpost, Pipestone Lake has some excellent smallmouth.

[beeflover]

Vermillion and Rainey keep coming up. I'm kinda thinking maybe a resort at Fort Frances or just north of there on Rainey. If I get to know Rainey maybe I can fish one of those bass tournies on the Lake.

If you aren't already aware the Canadian Bass Championship is held every year on Rainey and there is another good tourney every year out of International Falls. These are good money tourney's and bigger than anything I've fished.

Hey I'm younger than Denny Brauer and Rick Clunn I can still dream, eh?

[fisher98]

I would go to Lake St. Clair near Detroit, Michigan. This past summer I had the chance to fish this awesome body of water. I caught fish in 6 inches of water all the way down to 35ft.....and the fish were huge and mean!!!!

I plan on going back for 2 weeks this summer...Smallies you better be careful come the end of July...I am coming!!!!

fisher98

[river huntfish]

My favorite smallie fishing is on the mighty Mississippi from sartell dam to the Blanchard dam. That part of the river is extremely good and it also holds crappie, walleye, and a few muskie.

[river rat316]

There ain't no fish up there