What is your favorite bass fishery in MN? I always say Mille Lacs but honestly I think it’s the upper Mississippi. I took a run up there a few weeks ago and the sheer numbers up there make it so much fun. I don’t use live bait when I go up there but I still catch plenty of fish and usually good size to make it totally worth it.
All of my Favorite bass fishery’s in Minnesota are small mostly unknown lakes. I spent many years fishing the Bigger pressured lakes around the metro and over time notice a drop in the quality of fishing on them. I have not spent a lot of time chasing the SM on the upper Mississippi but have enjoyed it the few times I’ve fished it. I need to spend more time fishing the river around the Saint cloud area next summer.
I totally agree… my favorite places are either the rivers or smaller/mid sized lakes. Funny, Mille Lacs might be one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the country and only 90 minutes from my house. I should fish it more, but I only have once in the past 5 years. Don’t think I’ll change any time soon ~
Frydog – Like you I am also only a little over a Hour from Mille Lacs and dont fish it much. I’ve had rather mixed results on it the last few years with more miss’s than hits. Just cant seem to hit it at the right time.
Mille lacs has been good to me this year. But typically my go to is the st croix, both those for smallies,
Large mouth I have a few hidden gems that are small and unpreassured near home.
The upper Mississippi is awesome.
But my favorite place is a small lake in the east metro.
SR
Mille Lacs, but that’s about the only place I’ve tried to catch bass on purpose 
“I have a few hidden gems that are small and unpreassured near home.”
That’s where I’m at these days too – and I live 10 minutes from Lake Minnetonka and NEVER fish it. I like people, but not crowds or waiting in line at boat ramps or for community holes on the water.
Ok here is your lake, and I only mention it because it is huge, the species is bass and I really do not fish it! Pelican by Orr. Most people going that far north will want Walter anyway, or the big delicious ‘gills up that way, but if you are that committed you are probably a C&R guy anyway. Probably a state record swimming in there right now waiting for a 6” shiner under a bobber.
“I have a few hidden gems that are small and unpreassured near home.”
That’s where I’m at these days too – and I live 10 minutes from Lake Minnetonka and NEVER fish it. I like people, but not crowds or waiting in line at boat ramps or for community holes on the water.
I’m with you on this 100%. I used to fish Tonka a fair amount but the pressure on those fish has made it more difficult…and Mille Lacs isn’t far behind. I’m not interested in sitting there with live bait either so perhaps I am making it tougher on myself. Part of the issue with Mille Lacs is that my boat can only handle moderate wind days or less out there. Anything more sucks and can be down right dangerous.
I re-discovered a couple of tactics this season on small lakes within the greater metro that helped contribute to the best season I have ever had: dock skipping and fishing at night. I intend to do both again more often next season too.
My favorite place to bass fish is probably the Rum River. I fish it further north than most others do and it requires a smaller craft. The brown bass are super aggressive in the summer and I mostly just use topwaters.
Ok here is your lake, and I only mention it because it is huge, the species is bass and I really do not fish it! Pelican by Orr. Most people going that far north will want Walter anyway, or the big delicious ‘gills up that way, but if you are that committed you are probably a C&R guy anyway. Probably a state record swimming in there right now waiting for a 6” shiner under a bobber.
Orr bay was icing over this morning with snow sitting on top. I’m sure main lake is still open.
I’m not interested in sitting there with live bait either so perhaps I am making it tougher on myself. Part of the issue with Mille Lacs is that my boat can only handle moderate wind days or less out there. Anything more sucks and can be down right dangerous.
For me, I don’t mind using live bait and at times prefer that more passive method particularly if it’s as much or more effective than artificial. Conversely, I will still always prefer casting artificial for muskie rather than soaking suckers.
One thing I’ll wholeheartedly agree with you about Mille Lacs is the wind and the butt whooping it can inflict. Even though it does offer up tanker SMB as well as good numbers, the wind and waves has become more and more of a deterrent for me as well. Doesn’t even matter whether it’s bass or walleye or pike as the target fish, more times than not I (or we) have stayed ashore with that wind.
We had one day out of a week of our family fishing vacation this past summer where we could get out safely and with relative comfort with kids/grandkids. Even then it was a bit “choppy”.
Obviously there are many that get out there and deal with the wind and waves, or drive around to the calm side of the lake…but for me it’s become more than just an inconvenience.
You’d think with all the time I have on my hands now, I’d be out exploring rivers or small lakes where the wind is not a punishment.
Goals now for next year! 
In a boat I never start with live bait but this time of year I always bring it.
For those who say “Upper Mississippi”, what do you consider as being “upper”?
Like many of you, I too prefer the smaller, lesser known lakes. I don’t know if I have a favorite lake since every year seems to be different. I love SMB, and live a half hour from Mille Lacs, but didn’t fish it once this year for bass. I’ve really struggled out there the last couple of years for bass. 3+ years ago, well that’s a different story.
I think generally anything north of St. Anthony Falls is lumped into the ‘upper’ category.
Personally most of my fishing this past summer has been the St. Cloud to Monticello stretch. Next year I’d like to try to get some time up in the Brainerd area, and some days on the Rum.
X2.
I’d like to explore the Rum a little more as well. I’ve fished it a few times but not too seriously. It’s such a peaceful river.
When I was younger and worked in Wisconsin, I’d stop at St Croix State Park and wade the Kettle River. It was great for smallies once the water dropped a bit in the Summer. X-Raps and surface lures were dynamite. The occasional walleye would spice things up a bit. Got to try it again. Lots of ticks and horseflies to contend with. I agree that Mille Lacs is a bit of a Head scratcher. Ive done pretty well some days. Other days, I feel like a bum.
Of the lakes I’ve fished tournaments on, I would have to say Leech and Little Boy/Wabedo are my favorites.
The biggest Mn LM bass I ever saw came out of that pond right there. Cavanaugh Lake. Had to be 6-7lbs.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.2208332,-93.6235308,1150m/data=!3m1!1e3
A couple years ago it was definitely Mille Lacs. Right now I’d have to say Blackwater near Longville. It has a protected slot for both largemouth and smallmouth between 12-20″, and that’s why I think it’s so good. There’s a ridiculous amount of 2 pounders, and I’ve caught some very large Greens and Browns. Biggest largemouth was north of 5, but many over 4. Biggest smallmouth was 21″, but I’ve caught numerous over 19″. Around the “metro” area I’d have to say Clearwater, just because of the average size. No giants, but so many fish over 3.
The biggest Mn LM bass I ever saw came out of that pond right there. Cavanaugh Lake. Had to be 6-7lbs.
Pug, the question was what your favorite bass fishery was in MN. Not where the biggest bass you saw came from. Unless, of course, you’re implying that Cavanaugh Pond is your favorite bass fishery in MN too… 
People were talking about small unpressured bodies of water.
I post what I want, when I want!
Love the upper Miss but hate fishing in crowds of people in winter. Has become quite the spot last few years bc of it’s great fishing. I still manage to get away from crowds and catch em but starting to loose it’s luster.
Love my pool above st.anthony falls. Not lots of biggins but many smallies in there for when I need to just wet a line and escape for a short while it provides what I need.
Best largemouth fishing I ever had was Mooney Lake before the back-to-back winter kill 5-6 years ago. No public access, just a trail. Many 5 pounders in there, but were all dead on shore those two Springs, random 6 pounders here and there and a couple that looked 7. That’s what you get with shallow lakes in Minnesota and you don’t aerate.
I fish Blackwater quite a bit,too. Stumbled on to it when it was too windy to fish some of the the larger lakes up there. Reeds, weeds,rocks,shallow, deep. It’s got it all. It’s the place I finally learned how to catch em on a big jig. Mule is decent, too.
I fish Blackwater quite a bit,too. Stumbled on to it when it was too windy to fish some of the the larger lakes up there. Reeds, weeds,rocks,shallow, deep. It’s got it all. It’s the place I finally learned how to catch em on a big jig. Mule is decent, too.
I like both of those lakes too, funny we ducked out of the wind one day on the long arm of Mule. Better than getting kidneys beat up when it’s 20 knots on Leech!
Id have to say tonka. You get some really good rewards skipping that half ounce jig into a 6 inch gap between two multimillion dollar boats 
Same with us. Got some walleyes on Leech. About swamped our boats getting off the lake. Hard to leave when they are biting. Pulled out the map book. Picked Blackwater the next day. We tried Webb Lake,too. That was pretty good. I don’t know why I haven’t been back. Next year.
For lakes I’m comfortable saying the names to: Minnewaska and Diamond over by Willmar. Diamond has soooo many 3lb plus fish in it, makes it tons of fun. I have a few smaller lakes that I enjoy fishing for the monsters, one lake I’ve caught my PB smallie (5.5lbs) and seen an 8.15lb largie caught on the same lake, we’ll leave those ones for guessing.
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