Get July/Aug 2023 Of Bassmaster Magazine

[ATA]

Showing 100 best bass lake and talk about them. Good to make bucket list for someone like me to know the lakes and make bucket list.

[MN Fisher]

Is Minnetonka still listed for the Midwest? Last few years it has been.

[ATA]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Is Minnetonka still listed for the Midwest? Last few years it has been.

I haven't seen it in first 25, still reading ?

[TnRiver46]

Never have to worry about mine being on there, double edged sword haha 

[islandbass]

I’ll almost be a bait monkey’s uncle if a lake from WA state makes that list. ??

[Jar11591]

Should be at least 3 from NYS on there. St. Lawrence and Cayuga should be near the top and I’m sure Lake Champlain will be on there somewhere. 

[Dwight Hottle]

32 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

Should be at least 3 from NYS on there. St. Lawrence and Cayuga should be near the top and I’m sure Lake Champlain will be on there somewhere. 

Lake Erie is always on the list. That makes 4 potentials.

[Fishin Dad]

I would be fine if Minnesota never makes the list again!!   Luckily, we have so many smaller lakes that will never be heard of.  Once Mille Lacs made it, it got pounded on.  

[optimator]

@ATA did any lake in Oregon make the list? 

[gim]

3 hours ago, Fishin Dad said:

Once Mille Lacs made it, it got pounded on.  

Not only did it make the list, it was ranked #1. People in the south were down right offended that a lake which is frozen for 5 months could be ranked higher than a lake in Texas.

 

That being said, I’d be fine with no more high rankings here again to avoid the massive pressure that comes with it.

[Columbia Craw]

On 6/25/2023 at 12:17 AM, islandbass said:

I’ll almost be a bait monkey’s uncle if a lake from WA state makes that list. ??

None in the top 10 national ranking but a few in the western region.  Once upon a time the Columbia River was a topped ranked fishery but is rarely mentioned now.  

[NorcalBassin]

Pretty surprised to see my home lake not even in the top 25 out west after being top 5 not too long ago. If that gets it less pressure I suppose I should be happy... not to mention Clear Lake and the Delta are rarely great for me despite being towards the top nationally nearly every year.

[gim]

On 6/24/2023 at 5:54 PM, MN Fisher said:

Is Minnetonka still listed for the Midwest? Last few years it has been.

Minnetonka did not make the list in the top 25 of the Central Region.  Mille Lacs (7), Lake Oahe (16), and LaCrosse (21) all made the list for locations around here though.  Mille Lacs and Oahe are smallmouth destinations, LaCrosse has both brown and green bass.

 

https://www.bassmaster.com/best-bass-lakes/slideshow/best-bass-lakes-2023-central/1129108

[Choporoz]

Disjointed thoughts on this....

 

-Like some above, I do NOT want any lake or river I fish to ever be mentioned in BR.  I know some will get major tournament attention once every couple years, but I don't want them on this list even if Tuesday night tourneys are weighing 25 every week....shhhhh

-The subjective criteria that has to go into this annual process will never be mentioned by the magazine,  but it absolutely kills a ranking list like this in my mind.  Varying the lakes in the top 10 or 25 or 100 is bad enough.   But they also must feel a need to vary representation from states, river v lakes, smb v lmb, lg v sm lakes, etc.  

I doubt that anybody on selection staff ever fished all the lakes in the issue....especially not in last 12 months.  So different people even added to the subjective variable mix.  One editor is told by his cousin that a couple big sticks are bringing in routine big bags on Wednesday nights...boom...a lake is on the list....not saying that's how it works, but could be.  

-What makes a lake top 100 for you might mean nothing to me

 

Didn't start out meaning to be all negative...I enjoyed this for first year or two I read it....but less so now

[gim]

13 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

The subjective criteria that has to go into this annual process will never be mentioned by the magazine,  but it absolutely kills a ranking list like this in my mind. 

 

Their criteria for ranking these bodies of water is listed right at the top.  I'm not saying its the end all be all on rankings, but clearly its the best overall ranking available.  There's certainly more than just throwing a dart at the wall blind folded.  What I think is a little bit misleading is when they group water bodies from the north in with the south, comparing smallmouth and largemouth fisheries.  Stating that OH Ivie is ranked higher than the St Lawrence River isn't really a great way to do it since one is spitting out massive Florida strain largies and the other is kicking out mutant smallmouths.

 

Bassmaster contacts the fisheries departments in every state to get feedback on the current state of their bass lakes. We survey the B.A.S.S. Nation presidents and conservation directors in every state to get their feedback on the best fisheries they’ve experienced in the past 12 months. Then, we dig into tournament results and fish-catch surveys from every lake mentioned, as well as some we come across independently, to create a master list. Numbers are crunched and a blue-ribbon panel of industry insiders vote on the rankings.

[TnRiver46]

32 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

Their criteria for ranking these bodies of water is listed right at the top.  I'm not saying its the end all be all on rankings, but clearly its the best overall ranking available.  There's certainly more than just throwing a dart at the wall blind folded.  What I think is a little bit misleading is when they group water bodies from the north in with the south, comparing smallmouth and largemouth fisheries.  Stating that OH Ivie is ranked higher than the St Lawrence River isn't really a great way to do it since one is spitting out massive Florida strain largies and the other is kicking out mutant smallmouths.

 

Bassmaster contacts the fisheries departments in every state to get feedback on the current state of their bass lakes. We survey the B.A.S.S. Nation presidents and conservation directors in every state to get their feedback on the best fisheries they’ve experienced in the past 12 months. Then, we dig into tournament results and fish-catch surveys from every lake mentioned, as well as some we come across independently, to create a master list. Numbers are crunched and a blue-ribbon panel of industry insiders vote on the rankings.

OH Ivie is cranking out mutant smallmouths as well 

[gim]

7 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

OH Ivie is cranking out mutant smallmouths as well 

Wasn't aware of that.  No mention of that in the description below its ranking.

[Choporoz]

42 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

Their criteria for ranking these bodies of water is listed right at the top.  I'm not saying its the end all be all on rankings, but clearly its the best overall ranking available.  There's certainly more than just throwing a dart at the wall blind folded.  What I think is a little bit misleading is when they group water bodies from the north in with the south, comparing smallmouth and largemouth fisheries.  Stating that OH Ivie is ranked higher than the St Lawrence River isn't really a great way to do it since one is spitting out massive Florida strain largies and the other is kicking out mutant smallmouths.

 

Bassmaster contacts the fisheries departments in every state to get feedback on the current state of their bass lakes. We survey the B.A.S.S. Nation presidents and conservation directors in every state to get their feedback on the best fisheries they’ve experienced in the past 12 months. Then, we dig into tournament results and fish-catch surveys from every lake mentioned, as well as some we come across independently, to create a master list. Numbers are crunched and a blue-ribbon panel of industry insiders vote on the rankings.

Thanks.  I was less than clear in putting my thoughts to text.  I meant the criteria where a few guys sitting in an office say "we haven't had any lakes near ..... lately...put x up there this year.....we'll bring y back next year..."  the sort of stuff that happens when eyeballs are more important than ever

[TnRiver46]

30 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Wasn't aware of that.  No mention of that in the description below its ranking.

Some of them are even breeding the F1s

[Glenn]

In case you missed it: 25 Best Bass Fishing Lakes and Rivers In The World

[NorthernBasser]

I think it's silly how they list the regions. Wisconsin in the same region/division as Texas? How is that fair?? ? Little surprised Sturgeon Bay didn't make it for it's world-class smallmouth fishing. 

[Fishin Dad]

I am just glad they stick mostly to big tournament lakes.  I bet anyone who lives on/fishes some of the smaller lakes on the list are not happy.   I bet Ivie in Texas has been destroyed with all the social media hype and now the list here.  With the popularity of fishing now, and the social media craze, even my smaller lakes around home are getting pounded.  Then, with all the technology, nothing stays secret for long.  

[king fisher]

I keep looking for Menderchuck on the list.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, king fisher said:

I keep looking for Menderchuck on the list.

Are you kidding? Andy has Tank chase anyone away who even looks like they're gonna map his smallie hole. (any of them)

[A-Jay]

11 hours ago, king fisher said:

I keep looking for Menderchuck on the list.

 

11 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Are you kidding? Andy has Tank chase anyone away who even looks like they're gonna map his smallie hole. (any of them)

If Lake Menderchuck does end up on any list, at least it won't be on me (anymore anyway).

But you know it will forever be at the top of my list.

Truth be told 'the real ones' have been on & off the northern section lists for years.

Probably what found me out on them to start with.

But if MLF shows up one day,

Tank & I are moving here ~

(just need to figure out where here is)

https://youtu.be/LCbyLMy4jok?t=156

Fish Hard

A-Jay