Fish Lake is starting to come around for LM's. This year my pops caught 4 so far fishing for panfish. I've seen lots of smaller fish in fish lake as well. I would give it another 3-5 years before you'll start catching more bigger ones more frequently, but they are there.
As for Island Lake, the lm's are going to have a tough time competing with the Smallmouth. Island Lake is a smallmouth lake and will be for quite some time. The LM's are there, but I have yet to catch one, just smallmouth. It is nice to have such a great SM lake so close to home, so don't mess with my smallies
I'll agree with the Pres on St. Louis River. Your more likely to catch a musky then catch a bass on the river. But I'm sure there are some guys or gals that know spots where they can always get one, or where they will always be. I'm going to get my first LM on the river this year even if it means no walleye fishing or SM fishing
Hey FlyMaster, I think you should spend the entire bass night first working on a limit of Largies.. That would leave the rest of us with a good head start. Go for one largemouth before keeping a smallmouth, and I will get ya almost for sure. I have more early season largemouth bites than any other time, so as soon as the season opens is the time. That first week is the best for largies on the river, by far.
Yeah you definitely have better odds of a muskie than a largemouth on the river, but that is changing. In 5 years of so, the largie population will be large enough for people to get them more regularly. Like any where else they are related to shallows and weeds, wood, sand, etc.
So what lures are you using to catch the ghost bass of the saint louis river? I would think top water and spinnerbaits. (actually they are my choice when iv'e tried to find them) The nice thing about my lure choice is their are allways willing pike. DRiving a beer truck and coming over the hill on I 35 you get a real nice look at the river. and i seen some new spots i'll have to try this year on the wisconsin side.
Darrin
Lures.. Good question. Most largemouth from the river have come fishing for crappies with a bobber and minnow. But some have come pitching for pike with spoons that turned out to be buzzing the spawning beds. But the best for targeting them are top waters worked very slow on the right locations. Unless you like a bobber, they can be worked slowly, of course, and keep a bait in front of them. A carolina or texas rigged bait is great too. It's all about location and time of year makes many lure choices no good with the weeds get thick. Yeah, work the Wisconsin side, but there are some good spots on the Minnesota side too. Beer truck and fishing, you would fit into our league just perfect.. Fishing and beer go together great.
Good fishing and talk again soon.