Lake Zumbro On the Zumbro River

Lake Zumbro is a wide deeper area on the Zumbro River where fishing from a boat, boat riding, water sking etc. can all take place. It has 3 boat ramps, a couple eating places, campground, and has a dam at the end of what they call the lake part of it. The fish species are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, muskies, northerns, crappie, bluegill, stripers, catfish, carp, and every once in awhile you hear a rumor of a walleye or sauger turning up at the end of a line. Started out casting crankbaits to the shoreline for bass and to my surprise no fish. Switched to casting a hot new lure from B-Fish-N Tackle called a Super Bow Spinner and still no shoreline bite to be had. But I was very much impressed with the “flash” that this spinner puts out. I could really see this lure in the water, what a flash. I look forward to catching stripers on these lures in the near future.
Next I slowed things down a bit and put on a new neon color plastic ringworm also by B-Fish-N Tackle on a super doo style jig with a weed guard to work the bottom with and was shocked to find bluegills trying to eat a worm about as long as they were.
Next I started trolling with shad raps along the rock and wood shoreline and found the fish I was targeting. They were out some from the rock shorelines and willing to come up for a meal. The fish caught were nice thick brown 14”smallmouth bass and hungry 20-22″ northerns. These fish gave me the chance to see how my new St. Croix rods handled the fish and was I ever surprised at how well they responded to and contolled the fish jumps and runs. The new rods are great. Its hard to believe they could improve an already great rod but they sure have. I’m definately sold on them.
Next time you need a fishing fix and if you happen to live not too far from this body of water give it a try. You will be surprised at the fish that can be caught here.
See you on the water, Bill

i have made lake zumbro a regular spot this summer for quick fishing trips. it is definitly better in the spring of the year for crappies, you can catch some dandys. during the summer we did catch a couple nice large mouth and a dandy cat fish one night in august.

another okay spot for any one without accsess to a boat is right below the damn at mac’s camp ground. I have done some fishing there and caught a few ok northerns and smallies. We also saw a musky that was around 40″ long one night, he wasn’t intertead in our spinners though. after a few times fishing there me and my friend finaly got over taken by the temptation of all the crap…oops..carp jumping all over the place that we went out and bought a set up for our bows. wow is that fun or what!!!! there are some absolute monsters swiming around in there.
i urge anyone who likes bow fishing to go here. there is nothing less than an abundance of carp and rough fish. its best to go when the water is low and not coming over the dam at a very high rate. the spot to be is on the rocks right below the damn. it is pretty shallow and you have a great vantage point from the top of the rocks. it is a little tricky to get over there though. you have to cross the river down below the pool and if the water is high this can be a pretty tricky task. even when the water is low it comes up to your waist.