1 lake for 1 week?

[fishmarket]

If you and your buds want to go fishing for walleye, smallies, muskie/pike for 1 week, where in Minnesota would you go?

[Bobby Bass]

McFarlane Lake- tip of the Arrowhead trail-

[harvey lee]

Mille Lacs

I know they have a slot but, for pure fun you can't hardly beat the eye, muskie, smallie fishing in this lake. There are trophy status fish for each specie swimming around in the pond.

[Northlander]

LOW or Rainy Lake.

[jerkin'm]

Vermilion

[Black_Bay]

Without a question it would be Rainy.

[Fish&Fowl]

Vermilion!? For walleyes and smallmouth?

Rainy or LOW hands down.

[Team Otter]

It'd have to be a coin flip between Rainy and Mille Lacs.

[ChuckN]

I'd agree with Vermilion for the multi-species muskie/walleye/smallies.

Walleyes/smallmouth - Rainy.

Walleyes - Lake of the Woods (unless you want to go into Canada LOW territory, then muskie/smallie/walleyes)

[jerkin'm]

Yep, he had Muskies on that list....Good luck finding those on the Minnesota side of Rainy..Also said he wanted to stay in Minnesota....That takes me to Vermilion...Obviously Rainy is a great lake too..

[fishmarket]

thanks everyone for your input!! There seems to be a consensus building slowly but surely..keep 'em coming!!

[fishmarket]

oh, it should read pike and/or muskie..,,as long as there is at least 1.

[pfluemis]

Quote:

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If you and your buds want to go fishing for walleye, smallies, muskie/pike for 1 week, where in Minnesota would you go?

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Out my back door.

I go to lakes specific to each species, all within 20 min of my driveway. If I had to recommend just one lake to work, I would say Le Homme Dieu. It's not as good as it was many, many years ago, but it still offers a wide variety of good fish.

[eyepatrol]

Hands down I'd say Rainy or Vermilion. Here's why:

1) Each lake has what you're looking for (except not much for musky on Rainy)

2) Both lakes are very picturesque....great scenery....a definite plus IMO.

3) Both lakes have lots of islands that "dampen" the wind and waves so-to-speak.

4) Both lakes have great restaraunt establishments on them - good eats, good drinks!

5) These lakes are a bit further north....so on a summer trip, temps are cooler than central MN lakes.

6) Generally speaking, the fishing pressure and boat traffic are not too bad. You can actually fish a spot by yourself.

[Scott K]

I would like to throw another lake in the mix. Crane lake, it has many walleyes, big pike, lots of small mouth bass, and is a beautifull area, have access to many acres of excellent fishing. You have the option to stay at some really nice cabins, or rent a houseboat, or pitch a tent, on an island. I have been there several times and have never been disappointed with fish caught. You also have access to very clean water portages, with no access other then carring your small boat or canoe. It may not have the best of all fish, but in my books, its in the top spots on my list.

[pfluemis]

Quote:

---

Hands down I'd say Rainy or Vermilion. Here's why:

1) Each lake has what you're looking for (except not much for musky on Rainy)

2) Both lakes are very picturesque....great scenery....a definite plus IMO.

3) Both lakes have lots of islands that "dampen" the wind and waves so-to-speak.

4) Both lakes have great restaraunt establishments on them - good eats, good drinks!

5) These lakes are a bit further north....so on a summer trip, temps are cooler than central MN lakes.

6) Generally speaking, the fishing pressure and boat traffic are not too bad. You can actually fish a spot by yourself.

---

Alexandria area went from 147 resorts to 45. It's amazing how quiet it is around here on non-holiday weekends/weeks.

I'll give you the heat, if we get a High sitting over the midwest, or the jet stream wrinkles up into Canada, we can get a little warm here. Being from Indiana, they should feel right at home though.

Picturesque???? Bringing a camera, not a rod-n-reel???

Food, there is fancy food right on shore. Not to mention just about anything else you could be craving a stones throw away while your taking a break from reeling in all the fish.

Plenty of structure around here to hide in, if your afraid of the wind.

[Fish&Fowl]

Jerkin'm,

I'll admit you got me on the MN part of that...sometimes I forget there is an American side to Rainy

[eyepatrol]

Say what you will, but the Alex area in no way compares to Rainy or Vermilion. That's hardly even worth discussing.

[jerkin'm]

Ditto that...

[PerchJerker]

I used to live in the Alex area, I have fished Rainy a few times, I have fished Vermilion a few times.

Vermilion is the spot I would pick, followed by Rainy.

[primetime49]

fishmarket,the lake i would try now is Green Lake at Spicer

very nice catches of both bass and walleye continue to be the talk of the landings

Its not at all uncommon to here guys telling of how many walleye they had to release over 20 inches.

Cool part of this is every depth of this lake is producing

Also very well known for incredible smallmouth fishing it is also producing nice largemouth

Two weeks ago some muskie were caught and released but they are rare and dont know if anyone ever has caught one targetting them,its the bonus fish here.

Crappie and sunfish also have been active.

So for now and probaly never would have stated this before its the one lake I would take a week to fish.

And so I will

good post and interesting

[Dock Boy]

Here is a chain of lakes. Kabetogama, Namakan, Sand Point and Crane and Voyageurs National Park. All species and big pike. The slot limit has help this chain out great much like Rainy. It's a narrower chain with tons of Islands, so wind isn't going to affect you as much as it would on Rainy. The scenery is the best in the state. Vermilion is getting to be over populated with huge cabins ruining the shorelines. You can tent camp, stay at a nice resort/cabin or bring your camper or rv. 65-75 miles of water to explore and you can day trip to Rainy if you want via Kettle Falls portage. If you want good scenery, good fishing, less traffic. Voyageurs National Park, Kab, Nam, Sand Point and Crane is where you want to be.