Moving to Rochester. Smallmouth?

[NYRanger]

Hello fellow anglers - I have the opportunity to train at the Mayo Clinic for residency. Fishing is an important part of my life, and it certainly plays a factor when choosing program location (would like to bring the ranger). Minnesota sounds like it has a lot to offer in terms of fishing. Big smallmouth guy, grew up on the south shore on Lake Ontario.

What is around in terms of smallmouth? Looks like Lake Pepin is kind of close to Rochester? What is the drive like to Mille Lacs? Would greatly appreciate any info on the area.

[BigBrownBass]

Closest option is the Mississippi river. Mille Lacs must be 3.5-4 hours away. Plenty of smaller smallie lakes within two hours west or north of Minneapolis but you are two hours south so much longer drive.

[PJ-Rohlf]

It's only an hour to lacrosse. Pools 4-8 are some of the best fishing on the Mississippi IMO. Mille Lacs is going to be a hike but is fun, bunch of lakes near Mankato which is a little over an hour west of Rochester (most of these are going to be large mouth lakes)

[Macsimus]

There are some very nice smallmouth streams in that part of the state if that interests you. Not Ranger water but close and a beautiful area of the state.

[FryDog62]

I grew up in Rochester... parents opted for a cabin in the Hayward, WI area instead of Brainerd, Alexandria, etc. like everyone else. Reason is they didn't have to cut through the metro traffic to get to the lake.

Lots of good smallmouth fishing near Hayward. Lac Court Oreilles, Grindstone, Round, etc. Many Rochester people in that area...

[bass-o-maticjm]

If you can do your residency at the Mayo Clinic, I think that's your deciding factor. Smallmouth fishing would be a bonus. That said, you're in the backyard of the Mississippi River and within 3-4 hours of many lakes in MN and WI for the weekends.

[FishMN]

There is a smallmouth lake about 2 hours west of Rochester. The river can be awesome, but size will be less than what you are used to with Great Lakes fish. If you are at all interested in large mouth, give me a holler. I am about an hour west of Rochester and would be willing to get you on some solid bags of Large mouth.

[Fins]

Some nice trout streams in that area if you have a fly rod. And it's a much longer season than bass fishing.
https://www.exploreminnesota.com/art...s-to-minnesota

[setsail26]

I grew up in Rochester. Congrats on getting into a Mayo residency. Rochester has a bunch of good smallmouth fishing close by, but little of it can be done out of anything bigger than a canoe. Lake Zumbro is closest lake with smallmouths, which is like 20 minutes away. Was mediocre 25 years ago, no idea of present status. Good smallmouth fishing in the Mississippi, Wabasha is a good place and only 45 minutes away. Living in Rochester is a great chance to explore all the awesome trout and smallmouth streams of SE MN.

[DrewFlu33]

A little under 3 hours to Mille Lacs, though the Metro traffic can play a big role. Lake Pepin is basically the Mississippi River, it starts near the top end of Pool 4. It's really good and though it doesn't have a ton of current, it's more Mississippi River style fishing than what you're probably used to with a Great Lakes fishery...expect stained to downright dirty water all year, but the fish are used to it, too. They'll hit a jerkbait in water you wouldn't dream of throwing it in other parts of the country. Pool 4 and downstream on the Mississippi (including Pepin) can be excellent, but there's definitely a learning curve. I haven't fished it in a couple years, I do know that fishing around Lacrosse (Pool 8) was down substantially this past year compared to recent history.

As mentioned above, there are some good options to the west too.