Looking for a place to Tent Camp and fish w/boat..

[Kylersk]

I'd prefer to be able to drive right to campsite with truck and be within 200 miles or so from Minneapolis. I'd like to chase walleyes.

I thought ottertail would be fun, but I cant seem to find a place that allows tent camping.

Vermillion is always an option, but I go there every year (houseboat) so I want to try something new.

All suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[Powerstroke]

Right now my dad and brother are camped at Big Sandy Lake at the Army Corp of Engineers campground. You can get there through Reserve USA and there is a boat launch. Lake has some good walleyes, pike and bass. Also access into Aitkin lake if the levels aren't too low. Depends on the dam. Its in McGregor, MN Probably a little over 2hrs., well within 200 miles.

There's always Father Hennepin State Park on Mille Lacs. Very nice campground and ramp area.

[chickeywing]

Cutfoot Sioux Inn

[smg04]

kamp dells down by waterville is a great campground right on lake sakata/tetonka, lots of stuff for the kids to do at the campground also, i've been camping there for the last few years and love it, i'll be back there the 2nd week of june, although were pulling the camper instead of the tent this year so with only one hitched vehicle means no boat this year

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'm a fan of state parks. Shetek and Sakatah are 2 of my favs. Good tent camping and good fishing to boot.

[wplatehunter]

If you are looking for a place to camp close to Ottertail check out golden eagle camp ground on Big Pine in Perham. It about a 15 min drive to Ottertail and Big Pine also has some good fishing.

[fisherking01]

Lake Carlos State park, Alexandria. Tipsinah Mounds on Pomme De Terre, Elbow lake, MN. Ashby Resort, Pelican lake, Ashby, MN.

There are many that still have tenting, but most don't advertise a lot, so you need to have the locals, or others tell you about them. Good luck Kylersk, Brent

On another note, I bet Chuck N and Gissert could help you on ottertail camping. Check Ottertail forum.

[Redline]

Crosslake Campgrounds on the Whitefish Chain.

http://www.recreation.gov/recAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&facilityId=3141&agencyCode=130

[JRFISHBAIT]

Blue Earth County Park called Bray Park. It's right on Madison Lake. Great lake for walleye, panfish, bass and northern. The other good part about this park, if you like to try other lakes for fishing, there are about 12 good lakes within a 15 minute drive.

[ghotierman]

Don't forget Glendalough SP. Neighbor was up there for opener....wading and a did well. His son caught a nice 29incher! (great thrill for a 3rd grader to catch one that big while wading!)

Not sure which lake, but its a nice campground.

Lake Carlos SP would give you lots of opportunity too!

[hoggs222]

Father Hennepin State Park on Mille Lacs seems pretty nice.

[Smokey]

McCarthy Beach State Park. You can fish 5 connected lakes, and the nicest natural swimming beach in the state. Maybe in the entire midwest.

[Daze Off]

We stay at Pleasant Pines Resort on Pleasant Lake in Hackensack, MN and it is a very nice lake for walleye, bass, and pannies. They have a nice little protected bay to launch and dock yout boat and it is reasonable and generally quiet. No frills but great people.

It is also not far from Woman chain, Leech, Ten Mile and many others if you want to trailer the boat to them.

Daze Off

[lookincalifornia]

i have tented at the head lake campground(near ottertail). it is a really fun little lake that is only accessible from the campground. no eyes, but the bass and panfishing is great. also, when i was younger we used to tent at rush lake campground(near ottertail). these are just a couple of options i could think of. head is nice when it gets too windy for ottertail

ps. my avatar photo came from head lake

[mnmarlin]

Rush lake Tent and Trailer, as another poster stated. Only 5 miles to Ottertail, and Rush Lake itself is full of walleyes - connected to Ottertail Lake by the Ottertail river (not navigable, there is a (Contact Us Please) on the outlet of Rush). I will be staying there myself the first weekend in June. Been staying there for 25 years, great people, nice lake, and close to many other lakes if you want a change of scenery, Rush is 5,000 acres so you shouldn't get bored, and fishing is usually pretty good.

Good luck!

[analyzer]

I'll second mcCarthy beach, a little north of hibbing. You can leave your boat in the water and walk 40 yards to your campsite. I can't think of the name of it, but there is a more remote/primitive camping site a couple miles north of mcCarthy beach st park... that one you can pull the boat right up to your site. Smaller lake, decent fishing.

[tunrevir]

William Obrien state park, St. Croix state park, Eagles nest campgraound south of Taylors falls on the Croix, Kettle river. Eyes and just about everything else you can thunk of.

Tunrevir~

[Jeremy airjer W]

Quote:

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McCarthy Beach State Park. You can fish 5 connected lakes, and the nicest natural swimming beach in the state. Maybe in the entire midwest.

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We stayed at McCarthy last year. It is a nice place and a really nice beach. The only problem was the water level in sturgeon was so low that we would have had to back out about 50 yards past the dock in 6" of water to launch the boat. We ended up launching in the other lake (power loading washed out a pit deep enough to launch) and walking the boat out about 20 ft.

Still it is a really nice place to stay!!!

[Payday]

Stoney Point campground on Leech lake is a nice facility. Nothing fancy but, it has all of the necesseties for camping. A good launch ramp and harbor for your boat, close to good fishing.

[castmaster]

If you like the set up at Vermillion and aren't set on staying within MN try the Chippewa Flowage east of Hayward WI.

They have island campsites available free, first come first serve. Also some are available for reservations through the LCO tribe. All have nice level tent sites, pit toilets, picnic tables, fire pits etc.

Walleye fishing on the Chip has been great. A fun place to fish them as you can do real well casting up to shallow shorelines with rapalas or jig a twister/jig and minnow. The one down side is that its a NO trolling lake. But for me casting and catching them out of 3'-6' of water is the most fun anyway!!

Also by far the most scenic lake I have ever fished in WI. Lots of islands, lots of different structure. Good fishing for eyes, sm and lg bass, crappies, gills and MUSKY!!!

One word of caution though, starting Memorial weekend its pretty tough to show up on a Friday(heck even a Thursday) and get a site. If you'd be arriving late in the week looking to camp for the weekend I'd suggest trying to get a reserved site through the LCO.

[muskiechaser]

Lake Bemidji State Park is really nice, not sure of the walleye population though, not a walleye fisherman.

There are places to dock your boat without having to take it out every night

[bottomfeeder]

Whiteface lake has a nice campground.

This is the series of resivor lakes just north of Duluth, Whiteface, Boulder, Island.

[Kylersk]

Thanks for all the replies.

At this point, I'm leaning towards going a bit further out of my original 200 mile range. More than likely we'll be heading out to Kabetogema lake.

[wingnutken]

Excellent choice!!!!

I have camped on Kab several times.

We live close enough to each other we could get together and I could give you more info if your interested. Ken

I second the Big Sandy option also. I have been going there since the 70's

[deja vu]

Quote:

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...At this point, I'm leaning towards going a bit further out of my original 200 mile range. More than likely we'll be heading out to Kabetogema lake.

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If you're going to go that far north, you should take a good look at Upper Red Lake...

URL has just as many woodticks and mosquitoes as Kabetogama, but a lot more walleyes... If your boat works on Kabetogama, it will probably work on URL, and you won't need to hire a guide to find the best fishing.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do...