Smallmouth Vacation Ideas

[Greasy B]

I've been thinking about a big loop.... Up the Mississippi, though the UP of Michigan, cross the bridge, and spend some time in the LP before driving back home.. Prairie De Chien, Monticello, the Sylvania, Escanaba, Big & Little Bay De Noc, Marquette, Grand Marais, Mackinaw Island, Grayling, Traverse City, Chicago, Galena..No real plan...just fish a couple times along the way, eat, drink, shop, and explore.

Man, you really had me going until you got to" just fish a few times and shop". Guess I have been undomesticated too long. My heart goes out to any fishermen who shops on a vacation.

[Guest]

That's how I like to roll, but my wife has to have a plan. Good luck.

Im in the same boat,

but if it was up to me, the answer is 3 straight days of fishing

[Al Agnew]

Yeah, you need to convince the wife that the Mississippi above MInneapolis is not very big. It's not a commercial river above the Twin Cities, and while it's a little wider than the biggest Ozark streams, it is far from "big water".

The St. Croix is a pretty river with pretty decent fishing. Seems to be lots of 14-17 inch smallies in it, while on the Mississippi you are a lot more likely to catch 18-20 inchers.

There are some smaller streams not too far from MInneapolis. I've fished the Rum River, and wanted to fish the Root River. The Rum was chock full of smallmouth, but few big ones.

[exiledguide]

I've been thinking about a big loop.... Up the Mississippi, though the UP of Michigan, cross the bridge, and spend some time in the LP before driving back home.. Prairie De Chien, Monticello, the Sylvania, Escanaba, Big & Little Bay De Noc, Marquette, Grand Marais, Mackinaw Island, Grayling, Traverse City, Chicago, Galena..No real plan...just fish a couple times along the way, eat, drink, shop, and explore.

Lunch at Durty Gurtys in Galena great burgers.Lose most of money at casino. Walleye Dinner at Coache's in Praire Du Chien, cross the river to Marquette Iowa and sample at the winery and then loose all your money at the casino Oh wait, that was day 2 off my last vacation.............. The view of the Mississippi river from Marquette is one of the best anywhere I have never seen so many wooded islands in area on the river.

[Guest]

Yeah, you need to convince the wife that the Mississippi above MInneapolis is not very big. It's not a commercial river above the Twin Cities, and while it's a little wider than the biggest Ozark streams, it is far from "big water".

The St. Croix is a pretty river with pretty decent fishing. Seems to be lots of 14-17 inch smallies in it, while on the Mississippi you are a lot more likely to catch 18-20 inchers.

There are some smaller streams not too far from MInneapolis. I've fished the Rum River, and wanted to fish the Root River. The Rum was chock full of smallmouth, but few big ones.

Im lobbying for the Mississippi, I tried to play it down as shallow and wide to the wife.

We'll likey fish out of a river jet boat.

She seemed more confident when I emphasized the bigger boat on "smaller water" idea.

We want to hook a number of 3-4lb smallmouths in moderate to heavy current.

I noticed a tailrace below Coon rapids, maybe? It looked primetime

[Guest]

Lunch at Durty Gurtys in Galena great burgers.Lose most of money at casino. Walleye Dinner at Coache's in Praire Du Chien, cross the river to Marquette Iowa and sample at the winery and then loose all your money at the casino Oh wait, that was day 2 off my last vacation.............. The view of the Mississippi river from Marquette is one of the best anywhere I have never seen so many wooded islands in area on the river.

did somebody say casino? LOL

[dtrs5kprs]

Check out Pelican lake at Orr MN It's the one lake I was always going to fish someday. It's about 900 miles from Fayetteville area. Pelican lake assn has a website. I drove by it for almost 20 years on my way to NW Ontario and I kick myself for never stopping there. It may be too late this year to get a reservation any where in Minnesota this year so where ever you decide to go I'd get booked as soon as possible. These people will be at the outdoor shows right now and may run out of cabins for this year pretty soon.

Grew up going to Pelican every summer. Decent brown fish, big (for MN-up to 22-23") largemouth. And you can take your picture by the giant bluegill statue. Not a great walleye lake. Pelican River coming in is a blast to spinnerbait and flip.

There is a small chain of lakes near Ely...Eagles Nest 1 & 2 are the ticket there.

PM me if you need a map for Pelican or the Eagles Nest lakes. Good luck.