Size and numbers it would probably be Rayburn. We are lucky that we have a LOT of great lakes in this state. Its normal for 20lbs to not be enough to get a check on some lakes at the right time.
Size and numbers it would probably be Rayburn. We are lucky that we have a LOT of great lakes in this state. Its normal for 20lbs to not be enough to get a check on some lakes at the right time.
Georgia - Lake Lanier
Mark, I feel similar. While we don’t have Texas quality we have some absolutely Awesome lakes in the state. On the bigger side of lakes, I’d say Texoma. It’s just an awesome fishery for whatever fish species you chose to chase. Has great quality too, not to mention we share this lake with our good neighbors down south.
Originally Posted by haftafish22
My last trip to Texoma was a blast.
Minnesota is often overlooked for bass fishing but we have a ton of great bass lakes in the state. Minnetonka is crazy good and gets a ton of pressure, but even with tournaments nearly every week, it’ll take a 23 lb bag to be comfortable going to weigh in. Mille Lacs is an incredible smallmouth fishery, everyone knows that. Vermilion is a top destination. Leech Lake is amazing both smallies and largemouth. Green Lake out near Spicer, pretty much any lake near Alexandria, Brainerd, or Grand Rapids. You can pretty much go anywhere in MN and have a solid chance at a 5 pounder, but that is about the top end of the normal big fish. We are blessed with so many lakes and many of them have quality bass populations.
For the level of pressure that it gets while still producing excellent fish day in and day out, Tonka is probably my choice for MN.
I’d say the Mississippi River for WI. Sturgeon Bay is up there but I’d vote for the Mississippi. Not a lake but it’s our best bass fishing.
Milwood
Shasta for pure numbers of spotted bass. Most will be 1.0-1.25lbs but catching 100 a day is normal
Clear Lake for size and numbers. The lake has been cyclical and the 8-11lbers have been scarce. Now the lake is choke full of 3-5lbers. In summer it’s not uncommon to catch 80-90 bass a day.
Bullards Bar for trophy spots to 11lbs. Tough nut to crack but there are giants in that lake.
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2020 Ranger Z521L w/ Yamaha 250SHO
Lake Powell - its bass fishing in the Grand Canyon, landscape is absolutely incredible, boat traffic is sparse from Oct thru April, no limit on stripers and walleye, abundance of smallmouth and the largemouth fishing is good also
Lake Erie. I have to be able to count that as it is world class but outside of Erie Ohio has nothing comparatively speaking.
Lake Erie can turn bigger bags of smallmouth that some of the other mentioned popular lake can produce in largemouth.
-2016 Phoenix 721 250 Pro XS
-Old Rig-2006 Triton TR-196 200HP Optimax
Lake Erie hands down. If the wind allows, 50-100 fish days in the spring with fish averaging 2-3 pounds with fish up to 6 #'s.
'14 Triton 18XS 150 Optimax Pro XS Fortrex 80
Kropf Park model on Chautauqua Lake
Fish Chautauqua Lake and Lake Erie
Love bass and fly fishing for Trout and Steelhead
If we are realistic, there is no possible way to correctly answer the question for Wisconsin. Or Minnesota, or Michigan, for that matter.
For Oklahoma I would say Okemah and Prague for smaller lakes. Can't argue with Texoma. Okemah is full of 4 and 5 pound fish. Prague is full of 6 - 8 pound fish. Here is a 36 pound sack from a couple of weeks ago.
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Stonewall Jackson. Haven’t been up there to fish in a long time though. I am closer to KY do I fish there
Very true. We’ve got quite a few good lakes. I just went with my personal favorite!
Shearon Harris...Culling fish over 7lbs to get to 46lbs including two over 10... This team did two 40lb+ tourneys in a row.
Wed eve wildcats will produce 30lb+ in 4 hours.
Last edited by imbatman; 01-25-2020 at 09:30 AM.
I have to say, the lake I live on...Toledo Bend, just because it is so big that you can always find area's to fish without a lot of pressure, unlike Big Sam. I can fish in the back of Palo Gaucho Bayou and rarely see a boat. She might not be the best but sure is good for me.
Illinois- There's a reason why Newton Lake is often included in Bassmasters' Top 100. (but let's keep that a secret)
For the inland lakes in the part of Ohio I live in (northeast) for largemouth, it would probably be the Portage Lakes chain of lakes, or Mosquito Lake. For me personally I'd go with Mosquito. Both have abundant weed growth, but the Portage Lakes chain has a lot of docks, while Mosquito has very few. I'd rather flip and pitch bushes n such, versus docks. For big fish Portage Lakes gets the nod. For numbers, Mosquito. Although Mosquito is starting to come back as far as bigger fish go.
For inland smallmouth in my neck of the woods, I'd go with Lake Milton. It's got a bunch of them in there. And some good ones to boot. I weighed a 4.85# fish in a tournament, and have caught one that was bigger than that. Most tournaments are won with 5 fish limits of smallmouth that go between 13 - 17#
That's the beauty of the upper Midwest. Favorites can change as frequently as you launch your boat.
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