I recently purchased a 14ft x-wide canoe that I’m anxious to take on a little fishing expedition. I’m looking for a river or lake in SE MN that has minimal boat traffic and can produce a few bass. If anyone has any suggestions I’d greatly appreciate it.
Does anyone know if Lake Winona is trolling motor only??
Matt
Yes, you can’t use a gas motor on Lake Winona.
We used to go out all the time in a canoe on the backwaters near Merrick Park in Fountain City. I think if you find some out of the way, smaller backwaters you can fish comfortably from a canoe, and get to many places bigger boats can’t as well!!
Another spot that comes to mind is the water off the pike between La Crosse and Lacrescent just past the Saver Stop? Not sure if there is bass in there but it sure looks like there may be.
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Does anyone know if Lake Winona is trolling motor only??
Gas powdered motors are allowed in Lake Winona, but it is no wake.
As long as your looking in the Winona area, I would also suggest Lake Goodview. This lake is trolling motor only… It is also on hwy 61 on the west end of town.
If you don’t require a boat ramp….there are a couple of small spring fed lakes that hold bass next to Airport Lake.
I’ve had good fishing on all of these lakes… Hope this helps. 
Chad
Try the Cannon River from Cannon Falls on down………There is good fishing and the only boat traffic is other cannoers………
There are bass, trout, walleye, pike, crappie……..
It may be a little far north but the Rum river has excellent scenery and some of the best smallie fishing in the area.
Also, I hear the Root river is a great smallie river. I have never been there so I don’t know how easy it is to canoe.
Gator Hunter
The root and the zumbro booth have good numbers of small mouth and are great for canoing. The average size tends to run little small most of the time, but that’s not to say you don’t have a chance at a couple in the 15-18″ range. It’s just the majority of the fish are going to be less than 11″.
If you’re more into the lake thing, Chester woods has been known to give up some decent bass a certain points in the year.
The mississippi backwaters would also be a great spot for a canoe with great fishing yet to come this fall (just don’t look like a duck 
)
Thanks for the great suggestions. I’m going to try the Pettibone park backwaters near La Crosse this afternoon.
Matt
I caught this 5 pounder while pond fishing yesterday. 
She bit on a sucker at around 4 P.M.. I was attempting to bring in big carp 
by chumming the water with corn. Within an hour 3 large bass showed up, one was smaller, one larger.
Matt
Another
And one more
6 pounder caught yesterday
Johnl joined me yesterday, here he is with the same fish.
Matth..
is this the infamous “bill dance pond” you can’t take me and blue to? 
How come John got to go 
BTW—Nice fish
I think I might know where that is.
By the way, is that a bobber in the boat??
Nice fish Matt and JOhn. I can’t wait to go there and fish.
Chad
John hid in my trunk. I popped the trunk to get my paddle out and there he was!!! Who know’s how many days he was in there.
That’s a bobber, I’ve been doing well with live bait the last few times out.
Good thing he has a big trunk with a few air holes
Those fish are insane! For fish like that, I’d fish off the bank!
Very nice pics!! 
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