Smallmouth close to twin cities

[Pogues2300]

Tried googling my answer but I'm looking for a lake with decent smallmouth population relatively close to Bloomington. I just keep seeing rivers as suggestions but I'm looking for lakes. Thanks folks. 

 

 

 

[FryDog62]

Outside of rivers, you’ll most likely have to go North of the Twin Cities to find Smallmouth.  Mille Lacs is the most obvious... A little further North, there’s a lot of Smallmouth lakes near Longville..

[Pogues2300]

Was afraid of that but thanks for the response. 

[MN Fisher]

Lake Minnetonka has produced smallmouths. Here's tournament statistics from the MN-DNR

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/westmetro/mtka_bass_tourney_summary.html

So they're there...just might have to search a bit to find them.

[FryDog62]

Why are you not interested in river fishing for Smallmouth?

[Pogues2300]

Personal preference with my current kayak setup. Could bank fish or wade but i was just curious about lake options. 

 

[FryDog62]

4 hours ago, Pogues2300 said:

Personal preference with my current kayak setup. Could bank fish or wade but i was just curious about lake options. 

 

Certain larger pools like the Coon Rapids dam area might fish more like a lake.  Also, if I had a yak I’d put in at St. Francis on the Rum River.  Great stretch of river and excellent Smallmouth fishing!  

[Pogues2300]

Thanks for the suggestions, ill keep digging on the interwebs and see what i can find for lakes. I did watch a video on rum river kayak fishing near Anoka and the current doesn't look too bad, thanks for pointing out the rum river. 

[gim]

I’ll second a river, especially this time of year. The smallmouth are going in the rivers right now and they are often very underfished.

[JackKlassen]

White bear has a fishable population of smallmouth. Tonka has plenty of them too but you usually find them mixed in with the largemouth, not real smallie fishing I guess.

[M0xxie]

So full disclosure, I haven't fished many of these areas I'm about to mention -- I've been doing some research online in preparation for a trip up thataway.  That's kind of how I found this thread.

 

Anyway, the map I attached is from the Minnesota DNR -- maybe you've seen it already -- the area I was interested in were were the lakes that form that kind of a "C" shape (in yellow) northwest of the Cities -- looks like west of 94 on the way to St. Cloud -- so that's Kandiyohi, Meeker, and Sterns Counties.  Those lakes around Willmar look pretty good, and there are at least 3 bait shops in that area that might tell you more...

 

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/bass/index.html

 

Minnetonka just gets fished to death, but the map says smallmouth live there, I guess.

 

But I might focus some of those bigger lakes in that area for smallmouth, since more water means more current and more oxygen, essential for smallmouth habitat.  Lakes Koronis, Green, and Washington would be my choice.

 

But good luck, and tight lines.

 

[punch]

On 8/18/2019 at 6:02 PM, JackKlassen said:

White bear has a fishable population of smallmouth. Tonka has plenty of them too but you usually find them mixed in with the largemouth, not real smallie fishing I guess.

Bingo. In the metro WBL and Tonka are the only smallmouth lakes. The rivers are FULL of them though.

 

I wouldn't suggest smallie fishing out of a Yak on WBL though. The smallie "areas" are mid lake and offshore and that lake gets a ton of boat traffic.  You would be in for a long day. 

 

On 7/29/2019 at 11:51 AM, Pogues2300 said:

Thanks for the suggestions, ill keep digging on the interwebs and see what i can find for lakes. I did watch a video on rum river kayak fishing near Anoka and the current doesn't look too bad, thanks for pointing out the rum river. 

I live near the Rum and I NEVER see Kayak anglers out there. I find it wierd since it's got some good smallie fishing. Especially in the fall.  

 

Another river stretch would be up in Monticello, south of the power plant.  Some killer smallie fishing there once fall kicks in. 

[Further North]

Lots of smallie lakes east into WI.

[punch]

11 hours ago, Further North said:

Lots of smallie lakes east into WI.

Sent you a PM. Got a few questions for you!