Lake ideas

[kjbowhunter]

Looking to come from central illinois to do some smallmouth fishing and trying to get a gameplan together for a trip next year. I only have a 25hp 17.5ft aluminum boat. Would love to fish Sturgeon Bay, but realize its probably better to find smaller water. Anybody have any advice on a lake they would choose. Numbers are always fun but this trip i would definately be looking for size over numbers. Will need a lake with a place to stay nearby as well, and if you had a month that seems to be best. Any advice is appreciated, thanks

[Steve 187]

Sturgeon Bay inside Sawyer Harbor at the right time you will be fine with that boat. Launch at Pot State park. Little Sturgeon is another option, as long as there is no north winds. Lots of other choices up in the North woods for spring time smallies.

[kjbowhunter]

got any boat ramps you would recommend along those sections

[Steve 187]

got any boat ramps you would recommend along those sections

There is a boat launch in Potawatomi State Park that launches right into Sawyer Harbor. Robert M. Carmody Park launches right into Little Sturgeon.

[willwork4fish]

Big Green has some very nice smallies, a good number in the 3-4lb range also very good LM fishing. Not as good of a chance at a 5+ as there is at Sturgeon though. You'll need to make sure the weather cooperates with a smaller boat on SB.

Up near Eagle River you have a ton of lakes...Franklin, Butternut and Kentuk are 3 I've done well on but haven't been up there in a number of years. Ton of lakes around there though.

[kjbowhunter]

If we head to sturgeon bay and get a day of weather, looking for other lake options closest. Is Fox River worth fishing?

[dwtaylor]

A ton of variables here, IMO.

Time of year is a big one. May is a big month for weather changes and can make fishing unsafe on the big lake rather quickly. I dont live that far from sturgeon bay but avoid it most times because the wind forecast is almost always blowing 15+ it seems like. BUT, that 3rd-ish week of May always seems like the best time to catch bigguns.

The wolf river by new london and fremont can be really good and will be protected from wind, but the last 2 years it has been flowing hard and high.

Big green has horrible pleasure boating traffic in the late spring and summer. It is a good lake, and will stay colder longer so the prespawn bite is typically longer. It can get rough out there too.

The menominee river is good fishing too with a good mix of size and numbers. Ive also heard good things about oconto, peshtigo, and marinette areas too for bay smallies.

[UWBASS]

If you’re in DC and wind is blowing, could always look to try the Lake Michigan side. There are also two inland lakes (Clark and Kangaroo) with surprisingly good smallmouth fishing and some largemouths also.

[Steve 187]

Kangaroo Lake, Europe Lake are both good in the Door...................

[Ben Danbleume]

Looking to come from central illinois to do some smallmouth fishing and trying to get a gameplan together for a trip next year. I only have a 25hp 17.5ft aluminum boat. Would love to fish Sturgeon Bay, but realize its probably better to find smaller water. Anybody have any advice on a lake they would choose. Numbers are always fun but this trip i would definately be looking for size over numbers. Will need a lake with a place to stay nearby as well, and if you had a month that seems to be best. Any advice is appreciated, thanks

WI has so many great fishing small lakes, I'd look into an area that has several close. With a smaller boat you don't need to venture to big water for big fish. Have a buddy that has been going to WI for vacations in August for years to get away from the heat and catch great smallmouth, mainly on small lakes..

[UWBASS]

WI has so many great fishing small lakes, I'd look into an area that has several close. With a smaller boat you don't need to venture to big water for big fish. Have a buddy that has been going to WI for vacations in August for years to get away from the heat and catch great smallmouth, mainly on small lakes..

I agree with this. With a small boat, why tempt fate at all with Door County? The fishing can be great but mostly when they're on the spawn then it's fishing just like everywhere else. I'd go with the Vilas County area and use Minocqua-area as a sort of home base. There are a bazillion lakes with an hour of there and fantastic fishing to be had. If it's not happening on one lake, then go try another just down the road. I personally think the SM in Vilas County go toe-for-toe with DC any day of the week and they are usually much heavier, more solid fish throughout the body due to the crawfish food base. Plus they look cool being so dark.