Bassmaster top 100 bass lakes 2018

[WRB]

Top 10

1. Sam Rayburn, TX

2. Chickamuaga, TN

3. Clear Lake, CA

4. St.Claire, MI

5.  Mille Lacs, MN 

6. Santee Cooper, SC

7. Diamond Valley, CA

8. Thousand Islands, St Lawrance River, NY

9. Gunthersville, AL

10. Lake Falcon, TX

 

The Bassmaster top 100 is always an interesting and somewhat baffling list as usual.

Clear Lake is an excellent fishery but has fallen on tough times from all the fires the past 3 years impacting the water quality and communities around the lake limiting places to stay when visiting the lake.

DVL or Diamond Valley is currently closed do to a massive algae bloom and I can't fish it becuase od quagga mussel restrictions.

Though you all might be interested.

Tom

 

[Arcs&sparks]

Link?

[BassThumb]

I'm not surprised Mille Lacs dropped from #1. The pressure from having all the hype and the two back-to-back AOY Champioships has made it an amazingly difficult fishery in just a couple years' time. Those big 10-15 year old bass got real smart, real fast. I was just out there Weds and half the fish I caught had scarred up mouths. I mean literally 50%. 

 

I've heard this Top 100 list called the "Lake Killer List". I don't doubt that anymore.

[N Florida Mike]

No Florida waters  ?? Seems strange. Maybe it'll keep the pressure down.

[Way north bass guy]

8 hours ago, BassThumb said:

I'm not surprised Mille Lacs dropped from #1. The pressure from having all the hype and the two back-to-back AOY Champioships has made it an amazingly difficult fishery in just a couple years' time. Those big 10-15 year old bass got real smart, real fast. I was just out there Weds and half the fish I caught had scarred up mouths. I mean literally 50%. 

 

I've heard this Top 100 list called the "Lake Killer List". I don't doubt that anymore.

Living in Ontario, we have quite a few amazing fisheries that could easily make the top 100 list, but I’m with you on this. Kinda glad we don’t get much mention on there, some of the best waters can be changed a lot once the word gets out about great fishing. 

[A-Jay]

Very content knowing there's nothing I routinely fish on that list.

Still manage to get a few though.

A-Jay

 

[12poundbass]

11 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Very content knowing there's nothing I routinely fish on that list.

Still manage to get a few though.

A-Jay

 

I too was quite shocked Lake Menderchuck was not on there.

[A-Jay]

9 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I too was quite shocked Lake Menderchuck was not on there.

We all know that place is like the Dead Sea ~ 

A-Jay

[greentrout]

No Toledo Bend?...or Fla. lakes...hmmmm....

[WRB]

12 hours ago, Arcs&sparks said:

Link?

It's published in July/August 2018 Bassmaster magazine page 28, 100 Best Bass Lakes.

The article lists the top 10 overall and top 25 in 4 regions like they did in 2017.

Toledo Bend is 4th in the Central division. Florida lakes are in the Southeastern division.

Tom

[Chance_Taker4]

No Fla lakes or Erie? kinda seems strange.

[Arcs&sparks]

40 minutes ago, WRB said:

It's published in July/August 2018 Bassmaster magazine page 28, 100 Best Bass Lakes.

The article lists the top 10 overall and top 25 in 4 regions like they did in 2017.

Toledo Bend is 4th in the Central division. Florida lakes are in the Southeastern division.

Tom

Thanks,  I couldn’t find it online ?

[WRB]

10 minutes ago, Arcs&sparks said:

Thanks,  I couldn’t find it online ?

I couldn't either, maybe they hold off until all the magazines are  delivered.

Tom

[NittyGrittyBoy]

St. John's Fla

[WRB]

44 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

St. John's Fla

 

44 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

St. John's Fla

Not listed in the top 25 of the Southeast division.

Tom

[Mike L]

The List doesn't mean anything 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Catt]

11 minutes ago, Mike L said:

The List doesn't mean anything 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

Kinda like the Heisman ?

[WRB]

35 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Kinda like the Heisman ?

I remember when Toledo Bend was #1, who was the 1st to post it........hmmmm 

Tom

[BASS302]

19 hours ago, WRB said:

Clear Lake is an excellent fishery but has fallen on tough times from all the fires the past 3 years impacting the water quality and communities around the lake limiting places to stay when visiting the lake.

There's another fire near Clear Lake right now.

[HeyCoach]

I may go fish at Guntersville next week. This coming week it’ll be too crazy on the water. 

[Catt]

23 hours ago, WRB said:

Top 10

 1. Sam Rayburn, TX

 

So you're backing Rayburn? ?

 

Got a big sign near Fairmont TX, Toledo Bend bass fishing capital of the world, it's been the since the early 70s!

[WRB]

6 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

So you're backing Rayburn? ?

 

Got a big sign near Fairmont TX, Toledo Bend bass fishing capital of the world, it's been the since the early 70s!

It's not my list!

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

It's a pretty laughable list. Disappointed to see a lake I fish very often on the list in the top 10 for the central division. The fact that it's listed above lakes like LOZ, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Texoma, and Lake Fork is absurd. I'd like to know who this guy is that catches 6 pounders out of all the other lakes in Kansas too. I guess a lake produces 2 10 pound fish in an entire year (back to back days no less), makes it top 10 worthy? The good part is, it's an extremely difficult lake, even for myself who fishes it often and has for 16 years now, so anyone thinking of making a trip to fish "The best bass lake in Kansas", I'd seriously reconsider, unless a real good chance at a skunking sounds like a fun time. 

[Brad in Texas]

These sorts of lists are more for fun than much anything else. They are also intended to "catch eyes" and I see them all the time, oft-repeated ones like "The 10 Best Cities to Retire" and others. Some magazines include articles like this in almost every issue.

 

As regards accuracy? Hmm?

 

An analogy: Most of us, if asked to list our favorite meals or restaurants, in order, we might go really strong for the first 5 or 10 . . . then it really falls apart after that if asked for more names. We sort of "fill out" the list struggling to complete it.

 

Here in Texas? We have a half dozen lakes that are perennial favorites. Even some of the best are also known to be very frustrating. I read all the time about anglers going out to the legendary Lake Fork, skunking or catching just a few small bass they could have pulled from a pond, then asking "What's the secret?"

 

The secret is, by the way, that most anglers can "not catch fish" just about anywhere, any time, even on lakes with the best reputations.

 

Still, guess I'll be another wanting to read down the list of "100." I have been programmed to do so.

 

Brad

 

 

[Sifuedition]

I find it odd that in Oklahoma, Grand Lake only has a moderate following as a good "bass lake", yet, it seems that is one of the very few in Oklahoma that tournaments will put on their tour.