Chesterwoods Lake and Park

I am becoming very impressed with Chesterwoods Lake. It is managed by the DNR for a World Class Bluegill Lake and tonight at the RAF [Rochester Area Fishermen] Get Together I saw 10” and 10 1/8” long bluegills. The lake is in Chesterwoods Park which has a large campground, swimming beach and bath house, several areas with shelters for picnics and playgrounds for the kids, several nice fishing piers, and boat ramp. They lake is a electric trolling motor only lake and has canoe rentals and paddle boat rentals too. Alot of people bring their own canoes also. Pictured is a large fishing pier.

There are several fishing piers this size too.

Enjoying the beauty and peacefullness by canoe.

Boat ramp.

There is a 5.00 per day OR a 25.00 yearly pass charge but very well worth it. Get the yearly pass and you will be glad you did. Great place for the family, fishing with a buddy or just by yourself.
Thanks, Bill

Here are a few pics of some fish caught from Chesterwoods. Look at the size of that bluegill next to the bass. Thats right, thats a bluegill.

Another very nice bullgill.

Do you like bluegills the size of bullgills? Heres a couple.

Bill. You are right about the fishery.

Andy Loos and I filmed a TV show for Riverangling Outdoors there on Wednesday. We caught over 200 sunnie’s and blue gills with some crappie and bass mixed in. The size are running bigger now and the action is unbelievable! Great pictures and report Bill!

You can watch the show soon on http://www.riverangling.com.

Bill, good job on the description of this unbelievable body of water. I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. Chester Woods has some of the best stucture I’ve seen in any lake or resivour anywhwere around this area. So many submerged trees and standing wood. (lots of snags too )

And like you said Bill the bluegill fishery is top notch!

Maybe somebody willing to share some secrets on tactics for the BIGGER bass. I have only caught them in the 10-13 inch range. Iv’e tried various Rapalas, both floating and diving. They work on the largemouths in the backwaters so I though they would work there too. Nope! Then I tried a worm hook with plastic worms, weighted and not weighted, Senkos and lizards. Nothing. I by no means am a experienced bass fisherman so I was wondering what’s a couple of good baits to use for targeting the bigger bass. Maybe something they aint never seen. How about poodle? I mean Rapoodla.

Dan, I think it has more to do with the fishery than presentation. I don’t think we are alone in having problem getting the larger sized bass. I’ve pretty much come to accept the limitations of the bass fishery there. But for bass action, you really can’t beat it.

Andy

Dan. Try a Fluke. They worked on Wednesday.

Hi Tim! Whadaya know eh?

Knowing you I figured you were pulling my leg. Like I said, I dont’ have much experience with bass specificly. So I Googled it. Looks like a soft plastic shad with a split tail? Not a curly tail like a Mr. Twister but just a split or forked tail. The way I see it it can be fished weightless or with a weight.

Man, bass fishin. So many technical words. Like Texas rigged, Carolina rigged, jig and pig, etc….

Maybe some night you can meet me out at the lake and teach some school.

Count me in on bass school. As soon as I hear senko, comidia, etc, I’m lost. Then they have all these other words to represent their lures. I’m lost as well in the bass lingo.

Dan. Let me know. I live 10 minuets from the lake.

Sounds good Tim. I’m minutes away too. I picked up some Flukes from H.O.F. and I’m itchin to try them out. My boat or yours? And how does this Thursday after work sound? One condition though, no shop talk eh?

Dan. It will have to be next week. I am leaving for Brainerd on Thursday night. Long weekend and a lot of fishing!

Yes, Dan go next Thursday and make sure you take Alex with you.

Andy

Next Thursday is a definate! Alex is in 1st place has only been to three of the four RAF’s. Boy is his head XL. That kid is really proud. So am I.