Bassmaster Top 100 Bass Lakes Of 2015

[RoLo]

I realize that I'm late for the party, but does anyone see something wrong with this picture?

I see a lot of things wrong with the Top-100, but will only comment on the anomaly closest to home.

 

Apparently the rankings are based largely on the input from Bassmaster members.

A while back I received a survey from Bassmaster asking me to checkmark 10 lakes from their list of preselected lakes.

Although I'm curious, I have no idea how the original list of candidate lakes was devised.

On the survey, I was also asked to enter my 5 favorite American waters not found on the Bassmaster list.

Looked like busywork to me, so I never responded to the Bassmaster questionnaire.

 

Anyway, last year (2014) Lake Kissimmee was ranked 21^st in the nation, which in my opinion was low.

This year (2015), Lake Kissimmee didn't appear anywhere on Bassmaster's Top-100 list!

Here's the irony, the Big-K had an unusually productive 2014 (prior to the 2015 survey), when it generally took 20 pounds

to win a local amateur tourney.  How does a lake that enjoyed a banner year, slide 80 places in the Bassmaster ranking? 

 

Selfishly speaking, it's fine with the locals of mid-Florida, who'd rather see less publicity than more.

On the other hand, I'd be livid if I were a professional guide or owned a fish camp on Lake Kissimmee  

 

Roger

[WRB]

Looking at this dated thread before the BM Tpo 100 bass lake for 2015 was published is interesting, no one predicted Toldeo Bend to be #1.

What amazes me is the method used to make up the listing has little to do with how good the bass fishing is at the lakes, it's a panel that represents Bassmaster tournament anglers, their home lakes and or region all get top priority. Good example is lake Coeur 'd Alene in western Idaho has remained in or very near the to 10, #11 this year, without a national tournament event ever contested on the lake and very few bass anglers have even heard of. The reason it's listed is a home lake to Brandon Palanuik, Elite angler.

This years list has several Great Lakes entries, very surprising considering the BM panel is made up of heartland bass members with the exception of KVD's influence.

Lots of politics ongoing to make up this listing, Toledo Bend however deserves the #1 ranking!

Tom

[RoLo]

Looking at this dated thread before the BM Tpo 100 bass lake for 2015 was published is interesting, no one predicted Toldeo Bend to be #1.

What amazes me is the method used to make up the listing has little to do with how good the bass fishing is at the lakes, it's a panel that represents Bassmaster tournament anglers, their home lakes and or region all get top priority. Good example is lake Coeur 'd Alene in western Idaho has remained in or very near the to 10, #11 this year, without a national tournament event ever contested on the lake and very few bass anglers have even heard of. The reason it's listed is a home lake to Brandon Palanuik, Elite angler.

This years list has several Great Lakes entries, very surprising considering the BM panel is made up of heartland bass members with the exception of KVD's influence.

Lots of politics ongoing to make up this listing, Toldeo Bend however deserves the #1 ranking!

Tom

 

Yup, that's what I was trying to say  

 

If I ever plan a trip to Coeur d'Alene, it would be in pursuit of a trophy northern pike, definitely not bass.

 

Roger 

[JOBU1967]

I've only fishes 2 of the top 100 lakes on this year's list this year (Lake Erie-western basin & Lake Guntersville). In my lifetime I've fished 44 of the 2015's top 100 lakes and can say that every time I fished those lakes I caught a lot of bass & some were over 8#. I have never heard of a third of the lakes on this years list & I can't believe St. Clair is #3. Has the fishing improved? The last time B.A.S.S. had an elite series tournament there all of the top 12 anglers caught their bass on Lake Erie or Huron and they probably will again this summer. So what is my #1 lake? The answer is the one I'm fishing tomorrow. lol

[Catt]

Sorry guys but that aint how the lakes are selected!

The list is first produced by state fishery agencies!

http://www.bassmaster.com/news/toledo-bend-reservoir-leads-bassmasters-100-best-bass-lakes-list

[RoLo]

http://www.bassmaste...bass-lakes-list

 

Well how about that!

I knew my wife was a Bass Council member, but I didn’t realize she was a member of the 3,500 Bassmaster panel

of super-avid bass fishermen. Even if we responded to the Bassmaster survey,

somehow I think that Lake Kissimmee still would've been an oversight, and it was an oversight.

 

Every year Florida's FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission) selects the 10 best bass lakes in Florida.

Lakes come-&-go on the FWC Top-10, even Okeechobee was omitted some years,

but the Big-K makes that list every year, including 2015.

 

This is no skin off my nose, but how about the angler who takes the Bassmaster “Top-100” list for face value?

Accordingly, Harlan County Res, Nebraska, Kezar Lake, Maine and Lake Bomoseen, Vermont

are all superior bass destinations to Lake Kissimmee, Florida.         I wonder if that bridge is still for sale?

 

Roger

[WRB]

You can find the bridge at lake Havasu.

Wonder if any of those 15 blue ribbon panelist who make up the final top 100 list know where lake Coeur 'd Alene is located. Coeur 'd Alene is a beautiful resort lake with excellent multiple trout species, Salmon, Northern Pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass, just not on many bass anglers bucket list and a questionable top 100. Local small club bass tournaments do take 20 lb bags to win at Coeur 'd Alene in the spring, most quality bass lakes can match or exceed that. A few ago back, 2012 they had a Oregon coastal River Umpqua in the top 100 (#45) that I never knewchas bass, it's a steelhead river.

2016 my prediction is 5 of California's 8 top 100 will drop off the list leaving Clear lake, The Delta and a foothill lake like New Melones or Bullards Bar, depending which lake still holds the spotted bass world record.

Tom

[Catt]

Each year I pay less attention this list

I've said for years Toledo Bend is the #1 bass lake in America!

It doesn't have the largest bass in the world but for daily stringers of 25-30 lbs year round none is better.

[RoLo]

You can find the bridge at lake Havasu.

Wonder if any of those 15 blue ribbon panelist who make up the final top 100 list know where lake Coeur 'd Alene is located. Coeur 'd Alene is a beautiful resort lake with excellent multiple trout species, Salmon, Northern Pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass, just not on many bass anglers bucket list and a questionable top 100. Local small club bass tournaments do take 20 lb bags to win at Coeur 'd Alene in the spring, most quality bass lakes can match or exceed that. A few ago back, 2012 they had a Oregon coastal River Umpqua in the top 100 (#45) that I never knewchas bass, it's a steelhead river.

2016 my prediction is 5 of California's 8 top 100 will drop off the list leaving Clear lake, The Delta and a foothill lake like New Melones or Bullards Bar, depending which lake still holds the spotted bass world record.

Tom

 

I checked out the London Bridge over Havasu, but it comes with a Quit-Claim deed!

 

Getting back to Idaho, if it weren't for its trophy pike potential, I might never heard of Coeur d'Alene Lake.

It yielded a 38-lb 9-oz northern pike, but Idaho's state record was set by Lower Twin Lake in 2010,

with a 40-lb 2-oz brute. That pike was bigger than anything from Sacandaga, NY in decades,

and bigger than anything ever produced by Lake Oahe, SD.

 

I tend to agree with you on California, definitely the Cali Delta and Clear Lake, and maybe Berryessa too.

I know that Chris Wolfgram (Fish Chris) thought a lot of Berryessa.

 

Roger

[frogflogger]

While it/they are not a lake I am surprised the Florida everglades are never mentioned - year in year out they produce big stringers and unbelievable numbers of fish.

[RoLo]

While it/they are not a lake I am surprised the Florida everglades are never mentioned - year in year out they produce big stringers and unbelievable numbers of fish.

 

The Florida Everglades is just as much a "lake" as Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana and Florida’s St Johns River,

which are both listed on the Top-100. You are correct, Levee 67A in the Florida Everglades

is slated as having the highest catch-rate in the state of Florida. Get there in April during high water,

and you can expect action on nearly every cast. In spite of that reality, the Everglades did not make the Top-100 list.

 

We keep reading that the sale of fishing licenses is on the wane,

yet the powers-that-be still don’t take a serious interest in our sport.

It's become the way of the world today.

 

Roger

[Mainebass1984]

 I pay less and less attention to this list. In my own opinion it is not a good representation of the top 100 lakes in the country. It seems politics and opinions have much more value then actual data when it comes to the rankings. If the lakes is not tournament fished then it wont even be considered for a ranking. If the lake isn't one of the more famous lake in your state then it probably wont get ranked appropriately as well.  In my opinion northern lakes do not get there fair share of respect. There are many great lakes in the northern fringes of the country. Of course every fisherman's opinion is biased and each angler has there own lake that they feel is worthy of ranking #1 or otherwise. Just like every other angler I have my opinions as well.  Kezar Lake and China Lake in Maine take 28-30 lb 5 fish limits to win most tourneys. Lake Champlain you got to average 4 1/4 lbs sometimes for multiple days to win. Not to mention the amount of trophy fish that come from all three of the lakes I mentioned.

[Neil McCauley]

So, uh guys?... Maybe I'm being captain obvious here but... these lists are garbage. 

 

These lakes are just the ones with the combination of the most miles of shoreline commercial/residential property in the most economically depressed areas. The most people with the greatest lack of money. The list is for boosting angler tourism. It has nothing to do with the fishing. Nothing. I'd guarantee that all 100 of the true "100 best lakes" in the US are kept secret and not one is on this list. Glad the same goes for most of my favorite lakes as well.

[HoosierHawgs]

So, uh guys?... Maybe I'm being captain obvious here but... these lists are garbage. 

 

These lakes are just the ones with the combination of the most miles of shoreline commercial/residential property in the most economically depressed areas. The most people with the greatest lack of money. The list is for boosting angler tourism. It has nothing to do with the fishing. Nothing. I'd guarantee that all 100 of the true "100 best lakes" in the US are kept secret and not one is on this list. Glad the same goes for most of my favorite lakes as well.

I'd think they would put Caddo on this list... The fact that its not makes me think you are right.