how to choose where to fish 2024
Mr. Aquarium reply :
I can never decide where to fish. I have SOOOOOO MANY PLACES TO FISH !!!!!!!!!! A local town I fish has 365 ponds and lakes in it. That's just the town. I have at least 500 ponds and lakes within an hour. I can never decide where to go. Its always like "big fish here here here and here, but the wind isnt good for that spot. I have done good here in this spot but its been bad lately. or I've heard there big fish here but I havent fished it. ETC.
How do you make your decision on where to fish for the day or weekend?
MN Fisher reply :
In some ways I have the same issue. Lake Minnetonka has over a dozen bays and sub-lakes. Launching spots all over the lake make them all relatively easy to get to even in a canoe. Add in the dozens of other lakes just in the West Metro area and it gets daunting.
Do what I did - pick a few (names in a hat maybe) and concentrate on those. I may have 'Lake Minnetonka' as a fishing location, but really it's just one bay of that - the one with a launch point only 1/2 a mile from me.
Mr. Aquarium reply :
I like that idea. The biggest lake I really fish is 300 acres. Dont have the super giant lakes. That one giant lake like Minnetonka can have 5 different patterns, thats gota be tough
MN Fisher reply :
On 12/17/2018 at 11:59 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:That one giant lake like Minnetonka can have 5 different patterns, thats gota be tough
That's why I concentrate on 'Phelps Bay' - it's the one in my location image.
TBAG reply :
On 12/17/2018 at 11:50 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:I can never decide where to fish. I have SOOOOOO MANY PLACES TO FISH !!!!!!!!!! A local town I fish has 365 ponds and lakes in it. That's just the town. I have at least 500 ponds and lakes within an hour. I can never decide where to go. Its always like "big fish here here here and here, but the wind isnt good for that spot. I have done good here in this spot but its been bad lately. or I've heard there big fish here but I havent fished it. ETC.
How do you make your decision on where to fish for the day or weekend?
That would be a nice problem to have, lol. 500 within an hour?!? Wow
I guess my advice is to just make a list and start fishing! You'll find a good spot eventually.
BassWhole! reply :
Wow, he's got 99 problems but a lake ain't one.
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 12/18/2018 at 2:10 AM, TBAG said:
That would be a nice problem to have, lol. 500 within an hour?!? Wow
I guess my advice is to just make a list and start fishing! You'll find a good spot eventually.
lmao! right! Wish I didnt have to sleep so I could just fish all the time. Work and fish, basically what I do now but mixed with 8 hours of sleep. Needs to be one - two hours of sleep, haha.
Theres deep clear lakes, deep stained lakes, shallow clear, shallow stained. sandy rocky ponds, ponds with standing timber. weed filled ponds. Theres a pond to match your favorite techniques. Some are neighborhood ponds with bobbers and rubber worms in the trees. some are deep remote ponds, some are small bog ponds stocked by the owner. some are trout stocked. some with alewives and blue backs, some with just panfish and shiners.
Love living around here, also we got some AMAZING saltwater fishing in my backyard. so what to choose, saltwater or fresh hahaa. freshwater. WHERE TO GO! AHAHAH
its winter and fishing is on hold =(
Glaucus reply :
Fish them all little by little. Pick some at random, give them a go, move on to the next. Keep a checklist.
MIbassyaker reply :
I have a similar situation to you in that I have a few hundred diverse options within an hour of where I live, the majority of which are small (a few hundred acres or less). I battle a weird and irrational sort of decision paralysis, where it feels wrong to select any one place to fish, because then it means not selecting all the other places I want to fish. That's ridiculous of course, but if you experience the same thing, you know what i'm talking about.
My solution has been to plan my seasons ahead of time by creating a fishing schedule of the places i plan to go, and when I want to go there. I do this over the winter to create a month-by-month breakdown of where I will plan to go, when I will go there, and how many times.
Start by picking a diverse selection of locations you want to fish over the next several months, or season or year or whatever -- pick a few favorites you've been too a lot before, pick some you're a little familiar with, but would like to get to know better, and pick some new ones you want to try for the first time.
Then put together a loose schedule based on when and how often you plan to fish each one you have picked for your schedule. In my case "loose" means each month has a number of locations I want to go to, with an order of priority and a rough judgment when in the month I should go ('early" or "late"). Use the characteristics of the various water-bodies (e.g., water levels, weed growth, etc.), local event schedules (e.g., tournament activity, holiday parties), and seasonal information (e.g., pre-spawn, post-spawn, summer, fall) to help anticipate when would be best times to hit each of the places you want to target, and when would be the best time to avoid them.
For instance, In the prespawn season, I can anticipate that smaller, shallower, dark-bottomed waters in my area will warm up faster than bigger, deeper ones, so I put the former on my schedule first, and then move to the latter as a the spawn progresses. I also usually put river float trips on the schedule for july and august when the lake bite gets tougher, but the rivers are running low and clear and the bass will be concentrated in predictable areas.
And there's nothing wrong with choosing at random either, especially if you can't think of any better reasons to pick one option over another. The point is just to get the decision made, so you can promptly move on to the task of showing up and figuring them out.
This also permits me to be systematic about exploring and learning various water bodies. If I have been to a lake, say, twice before, but both times were in May, then I put it on the schedule for a different month the next time I go, so I can sample locations at different times of the year.
soflabasser reply :
So many places to fish so little time even if someone lives a long life. Best thing to do is be organized and write down the places you want to fish and when is the best time to fish these places. Study the biology of the fish you plan on fishing for, figure out what techniques works best for the fish you are targeting, fish wisely, and you should have many memorable fishing trips in your lifetime.
Koz reply :
I'm in a similar situation as we have thousands of lagoons in all sizes within a 30 minute drive. Lagoons are the predominant stormwater control measure here so there's no shortage of them. The first tool I use to determine where to go is Google Earth (not Google Maps - the desktop Google Earth).
1. Google Earth allows me to look for access points and areas that I can fish. Since I bank fish I need to see if there are places to access the bank. Many of the lagoons have houses around them and I never encroach upon someone's yard. Other lagoons are surrounded by dense vegetation making them impossible to fish. In most of the country dense vegetation because you can find a place to squeeze in here or there to fish. Down here we have some aggressive alligators and I never fish in an area that I cannot get out of quickly. Also, gators like to hang out in bogs in the woods, not just in open water.
2. Using Google Earth lets me know how close I can park to the lagoon or if I will need to park elsewhere and ride my bike to the fishing location.
3. Not only can I set map pins in Google Earth, but I can also add extensive notes to each marker. The map pins also help me keep track of the lagoons I have visited. I can also color code the markers to remind me of where I found good fishing, where the fishing was poor, where I want to go in the future, and where I never want to fish again.
4. Some of the satellite images do show what looks like vegetation in the water, but that;s not always reliable. For example, a few lagoons in one of our state parks show some vegetation on the satellite image, although you can't tell if it's algae or lily pads (it was lily pads). If your fishing larger bodies of water you can see where the docks are located.
5. You can also use historic satellite imagery to see how long the ponds / lagoons have been around. In your area that may not be an issue. But as I mentioned here, most of our ponds are stormwater retention ponds and new ones pop up all of the time. I choose not to fish any lagoons that aren't at least 8-10 years old.
Anyway, that's how I determine the lagoons that I want to try next. Accessibility is my primary issue and Google Earth helps with that. Still, if I'm in the vicinity of one on my list I may stop by and look for access points in person. Last month I stopped by one surrounded by dense woody vegetation and managed to get in a few casts through a small opening and landed a 2+ pounder. It was just too much of a pain to fish. Too bad, because it's been surrounded by dense vegetation for a decade and I bet almost no one fishes there.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Occasionally weather will dictate where I go (usually wind). Often I choose where I want to go by what I'm hoping to catch. I don't often go to lakes where the chance to catch a big fish isn't good even if I might be able to catch a lot of fish, I'd rather catch just a few quality fish or at least have a good chance at a big one. Sometimes I choose because I want to catch smallmouth, or wipers, because they don't exist in all of our lakes so I'm limited to a few lakes that I can fish. If I want to fish a specific type of bait then I'll select a lake that sets up better for it. This time of year it's pretty easy, find the ones that aren't solid 
slonezp reply :
On 12/18/2018 at 3:53 AM, reason said:Wow, he's got 99 problems but a lake ain't one.
20 years ago called they want their music back.
Sam reply :
Mister, another $64,000 question.
On the Internet and in some publications there are articles regarding finding bass. The articles state that we waste our time fishing 90% of the unproductive water and not fishing the 10% where the bass are hanging out.
We can give you general replies as there are so many variables associated locating where the bass are located that we will hurt your efforts more than help you. I mean the bass move around. So if we tell you to look for some nice docks near deep water or that have fishing rods on them or stand by themselves along the bank and you follow our suggestions, the bass may not be there when you arrive.
After you don't get a bite and leave the docks, the bass will move into the area you just fished, directed by water temperature, water clarity, time of day, season of the year, wind, baitfish, sun or clouds, milk run, etc. You then mark your maps or make a mental note that the docks were not productive and to forget them next time out.
You have to think like a bass under specific conditions. You have to use your electronics to find places holding fish. You have to look at the structure on top of the water and decide if it makes good habitat under the water. You have to check the water temperature. You have to note the water clarity. And this is just for starters for each pond, lake, river, creek, stream, etc. you fish.
Add into the formula the baits and techniques you are using and you can see the hundreds of different approaches to use for any one target or pond, etc.
In simpler terms, you have to just try your luck with the baits you have confidence.
Keep a diary of each pond and body of water you fish. You can use the Free Fishing Log in "Tools" at the top of this page to keep a running diary and record of each outing. Then, after about 10 to 15 trips to your favorite pond, you will see a pattern emerge. Use this pattern for future adventures.
Good luck and go out and catch your new personal best.
Merry Christmas.
Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :
I think this is one of the problem, every wants. I’ve been fishing only one small lake around 400 acres for the last 2 years. Not that I don’t have any other lakes, but CA quaggas control is suck, if I put my boat in contact with other body of water my boat would get quarantined for at least a few weeks.
sometime I do wanna go back and fish small community lake, since it is easier to locate bass, but the average size is smaller, especially in tough condition like, right now.
BassWhole! reply :
On 12/18/2018 at 12:35 PM, slonezp said:20 years ago called they want their music back.
"♫♪♪Take me to the river, drop me in the water♫♪♪"...
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 12/18/2018 at 1:08 PM, Sam said:Mister, another $64,000 question.
On the Internet and in some publications there are articles regarding finding bass. The articles state that we waste our time fishing 90% of the unproductive water and not fishing the 10% where the bass are hanging out.
We can give you general replies as there are so many variables associated locating where the bass are located that we will hurt your efforts more than help you. I mean the bass move around. So if we tell you to look for some nice docks near deep water or that have fishing rods on them or stand by themselves along the bank and you follow our suggestions, the bass may not be there when you arrive.
After you don't get a bite and leave the docks, the bass will move into the area you just fished, directed by water temperature, water clarity, time of day, season of the year, wind, baitfish, sun or clouds, milk run, etc. You then mark your maps or make a mental note that the docks were not productive and to forget them next time out.
You have to think like a bass under specific conditions. You have to use your electronics to find places holding fish. You have to look at the structure on top of the water and decide if it makes good habitat under the water. You have to check the water temperature. You have to note the water clarity. And this is just for starters for each pond, lake, river, creek, stream, etc. you fish.
Add into the formula the baits and techniques you are using and you can see the hundreds of different approaches to use for any one target or pond, etc.
In simpler terms, you have to just try your luck with the baits you have confidence.
Keep a diary of each pond and body of water you fish. You can use the Free Fishing Log in "Tools" at the top of this page to keep a running diary and record of each outing. Then, after about 10 to 15 trips to your favorite pond, you will see a pattern emerge. Use this pattern for future adventures.
Good luck and go out and catch your new personal best.
Merry Christmas.
Thanks, never knew we had that here. I always say I'm going to keep a log but never end up doing it.
Merry Christmas to you as well
On 12/18/2018 at 8:18 AM, MIbassyaker said:I have a similar situation to you in that I have a few hundred diverse options within an hour of where I live, the majority of which are small (a few hundred acres or less). I battle a weird and irrational sort of decision paralysis, where it feels wrong to select any one place to fish, because then it means not selecting all the other places I want to fish. That's ridiculous of course, but if you experience the same thing, you know what i'm talking about.
My solution has been to plan my seasons ahead of time by creating a fishing schedule of the places i plan to go, and when I want to go there. I do this over the winter to create a month-by-month breakdown of where I will plan to go, when I will go there, and how many times.
Start by picking a diverse selection of locations you want to fish over the next several months, or season or year or whatever -- pick a few favorites you've been too a lot before, pick some you're a little familiar with, but would like to get to know better, and pick some new ones you want to try for the first time.
Then put together a loose schedule based on when and how often you plan to fish each one you have picked for your schedule. In my case "loose" means each month has a number of locations I want to go to, with an order of priority and a rough judgment when in the month I should go ('early" or "late"). Use the characteristics of the various water-bodies (e.g., water levels, weed growth, etc.), local event schedules (e.g., tournament activity, holiday parties), and seasonal information (e.g., pre-spawn, post-spawn, summer, fall) to help anticipate when would be best times to hit each of the places you want to target, and when would be the best time to avoid them.
For instance, In the prespawn season, I can anticipate that smaller, shallower, dark-bottomed waters in my area will warm up faster than bigger, deeper ones, so I put the former on my schedule first, and then move to the latter as a the spawn progresses. I also usually put river float trips on the schedule for july and august when the lake bite gets tougher, but the rivers are running low and clear and the bass will be concentrated in predictable areas.
And there's nothing wrong with choosing at random either, especially if you can't think of any better reasons to pick one option over another. The point is just to get the decision made, so you can promptly move on to the task of showing up and figuring them out.
This also permits me to be systematic about exploring and learning various water bodies. If I have been to a lake, say, twice before, but both times were in May, then I put it on the schedule for a different month the next time I go, so I can sample locations at different times of the year.
Yep I'm the same way. You think its the wrong decision.
I was thinking of doing the same thing. Have a seasonal plan set up, OK so its pre spawn, early spring, small shallow darker ponds warm up quicker. Ok the herring are running, focus on herring runs. etc etc
A-Jay reply :
@Mr. Aquarium ~ Good Question.
Just read through this one - so many Fantastic approaches / answers to your 'problem'.
I am also fortunate in that there is quite a bit of 'fishing opportunities' fairly close to my home.
For me, there's a lot that goes into the decision as to where, when & how I fish each.
I'll try to offer the shorter version but still hit the main points.
First off, regardless if I'm planning on fishing from my Old Town Canoe or the Lund Pro-V bass - it's safety first.
Meaning the wind & weather will always dictate where I both launch/recover, as well as where I fish.
Next factor is the season. Smaller dark bottom lakes with colored water warm and cool first when compared to larger deeper clear water lakes. Then there's the bigger water usually means bigger fish and or bigger schools of fish. Perhaps not always the case but enough to make this a consideration. Also, I prefer to fish less pressured water, so the waters proximity to major roads as well as what type of ramp/launching facility is a factor; close & nice may mean busy where as distant & challenging may mean not so busy.
With so many waters to choose from, I've developed a sort of 'rotation' where I may not even visit a few lakes at all for a season, sometimes two. This has proven to be a good plan; especially on smaller(canoe) waters. Going back to these after a brief hiatus in the early or late season has allowed me to get on a several above average brown bass.
Clearly my approach & presentation has to be adapted to the lake, season & conditions. Big Water can be challenging in that if 90% of the fish are on 10% of the lake - may mean there could be a ton of water to cover before I find fish. If the weather & conditions do not allow for that, then I may be better off selecting a different lake.
So as not to confuse the issue here, I will not go into the 'night fishing' aspect of all this as it's some what different but sort of the same.
Bottom line for me is I prefer to fish for & catch the biggest bass in whatever body of water I'm fishing - and while I don't like to go fishless for too long, I am willing to endure it for a while as I know it's part of the process.
So that's the underlying objective & what drives most all of this wicked & wacky decision matrix for me.
In the end, my advice is very similar to what has already been offered here. Make a plan, don't make a plan, throw a dart at a map, whatever - just do what is right for you. We all seem to do best while we're marching to the beat of our own drum and not someone else's.
Good Luck
A-Jay
Paul Roberts reply :
Another good thread!
Since my primary focus has been on documenting bass behavior, I choose my waters for different -and often very specific- reasons than most fisherman do, or would. Yet, the tack is exactly the same as I use in my fishing.
I have to prioritize. For just one example, I've spent large amounts of time over the last couple of years documenting the lives of young-of-the-year bass. That gets darn challenging by the time I'm shooting under ice cover, when YOY bass seem to vanish. But, just like any other "fishing", I first choose a water body that gives me the best probabilities for success, for what it is I want. Nothing will set you up for demoralization more consistently than going in clueless.
So... Prioritize! What do you want to get out of your fishing? You are lucky. But like having too many tackle boxes, there's such thing as too much of a good thing for satisfaction, or sanity's, sake. Prioritize!
Big fish? Not all waters have quality in the quantity that makes them likely to be caught consistently. Take that energy and start hitting waters. When you find such a place, you'll know. Size structure of the popn will matter, and I see two tacks:
-If you can take the pain, fishing large lures at prime times for the rare individuals could be pretty cool; It you can take the down-time. This is more effective/likely the further south in the latitudes you live.
-Find a water with a strong older age class. I have waters that I can expect to catch more than one top-end fish just fishing regular stuff. Such situations can come and go though.
Numbers of decent fish?
I track year classes. When I find a good pond with numbers of bass in a certain size bracket, and knowing the average growth rates for bass here, I'll re-visit it in future years to see how that year class is holding up. Sometimes they crash, other times I can have a pond full of decent healthy bass. They may even get "big".
Versatility?
Not all lures, techniques, methods, work everywhere. So... where do each shine? Getting to recognize such habitats, then applying the right stuff, is the best way to expand your versatility. Interestingly, such varying "habitats" can be found in a single water body, even really small waters. If there is a certain side of a pond you just don't catch fish out of, this may not mean there are no fish using that area. It could be that you are trying to force a square peg into a star-shaped hole.
Aesthetics?
If my wife is going, the place better be "special". I can fish in a sewer hole. Although I appreciate "beauty" -my parents were artists; my dad a landscape painter- the beauty inherent in sheer fascination exists under the water for me.
Travel Distance?
I've got responsibilities outside of my time on the water. So, I prefer not to burn that precious time sitting in a truck.
Bottom line:
Prioritize, young man!! Life is short. But it gets stretched out wonderously when you are on the water. I think it's been said that for every hour you spend on the water, or in nature, two are added to your life span. So... prioritize! Don't know about you, but my goal is to live forever.
J.Vincent reply :
Put a map on a cork board and throw a dart .....wherever it lands go fish it without question ! Problem solved
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 12:44 AM, Paul Roberts said:
Numbers of decent fish?
I track year classes. When I find a good pond with numbers of bass in a certain size bracket, and knowing the average growth rates for bass here, I'll re-visit it in future years to see how that year class is holding up. Sometimes they crash, other times I can have a pond full of decent healthy bass.
Versatility?
Not all lures, techniques, methods, work everywhere. So... where do each shine? Getting to recognize such habitats, then applying the right stuff, is the best way to expand your versatility. Interestingly, such varying "habitats" can be found in a single water body, even really small waters. If there is a certain side of a pond you just don't catch fish out of, this may not mean there are no fish using that area. It could be that you are trying to force a square peg into a star-shaped hole.
I have a pond with good quality bass, not pressured much. Either its a small bass like 1-2lbs or a 5lb plus. This is where I caught my PB 7.8, over the years I've caught big fish before I had a scale, never pounded it tho. Fished it off and on throughout the years. But this year it was soooooo slow, caught a 5.9 in early March just before a snow storm, only 5lb fish from there this year. The spring was wet and cold. Water levels were higher then normal, the water color was darker to. So I dont know if its just the spring was worse then usual, or the year class died off? who knows.
On versatility.
I have a spot 300 acres, great off shore structure and cover, very little shallow cover, deep clear pond. We would fish the whole place but only find fish in one certain area for each time we would go out, Fished it a few times in the summer, but not much in the spring. I hate fishing it in the yak so if i dont go on my buddies car top i dont fish it. I would fish jigs and a variety of small soft swimbaits, THEY LOVE CRAWS HERE, thats why i fished the jig A LOT!! for smallmouth and small largemouth, a tube is the way to go. theres large fish here with both species, thats why small swimbaits and jigs were my arsenal. But I dont get bit on the deep humps, trees, grass flats, drop offs, rocks and only get bit in one certain spot with my arsenal its weird. Yea theres probably different baits that work better in certain areas on this place, but if they are hitting jigs in one location why wouldnt they bite jigs in a different area. I don't fish crankbaits, spinner baits and lures like that, I fish slower baits, dissecting an area, maybe thats the case with this. maybe theres no fish on these areas, but 300 acres, with good structure but to only get fish in one certain area is kind of weird. Who knows theres a million different reasons. When I get the new boat, I will be able to fish this place more and can figure it out.
Paul Roberts reply :
Clear water fish can have a tougher time adjusting to turbidity than those that are used to it. And, yeah, year classes can come and go. Some waters are pretty consistent though. Waters that are healthy and diverse in structure and cover -esp larger waters as there's simply more space to make livings- are more apt to remain consistent. Overly fertile waters with poorer habitat diversity are at greater risk of fluctuations. Such waters that are small and shallow can result in boom-n-bust fishing, bc of winterkill, summerkill, or fluctuations in vegetation density. Too little cover, and bass can eat themselves out of house and home. Too much cover, and prey can become difficult to catch. I've seen both, although, even in the same pond.
Oh, one thing about big fish... it's been suggested that waters of about 2000 acres and up are more apt to produce catchable numbers of big bass. Apparently, it's a habitat volume thing. Not to say that smaller waters don't produce big fish, as we all know. And individually speaking, big fish are likely more vulnerable to being caught than in big waters, again on a per individual basis. So... small ponds can be worth hitting, esp if no one else fishes them.
Good luck. And let us know how things pan out. Always fun to peek over into other's fisheries.
Sounds like cabin fever is hitting already. I think we're all in the wistful, psyched, can't wait phase. Things can get ugly by late winter. Keep smilin' all.
WRB reply :
Minnesota land of 10,000 lakes, not all have a bass population but they do have thriving mosquito populations.
With all those choices how could anyone get skunked more then once!
Tom
MN Fisher reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 6:57 AM, WRB said:Minnesota land of 10,000 lakes, not all have a bass population but they do have thriving mosquito populations.
With all those choices how could anyone get skunked more then once!
Tom
It's actually over 15,000 named lakes/ponds/etc and over 100 named rivers/streams.
If you get skunked even ONCE here, you're doing something very wrong.
Bankbeater reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 12:44 AM, Paul Roberts said:Another good thread!
Since my primary focus has been on documenting bass behavior, I choose my waters for different -and often very specific- reasons than most fisherman do, or would. Yet, the tack is exactly the same as I use in my fishing.
I have to prioritize. For just one example, I've spent large amounts of time over the last couple of years documenting the lives of young-of-the-year bass. That gets darn challenging by the time I'm shooting under ice cover, when YOY bass seem to vanish. But, just like any other "fishing", I first choose a water body that gives me the best probabilities for success, for what it is I want. Nothing will set you up for demoralization more consistently than going in clueless.
So... Prioritize! What do you want to get out of your fishing? You are lucky. But like having too many tackle boxes, there's such thing as too much of a good thing for satisfaction, or sanity's, sake. Prioritize!
Big fish? Not all waters have quality in the quantity that makes them likely to be caught consistently. Take that energy and start hitting waters. When you find such a place, you'll know. Size structure of the popn will matter, and I see two tacks:
-If you can take the pain, fishing large lures at prime times for the rare individuals could be pretty cool; It you can take the down-time. This is more effective/likely the further south in the latitudes you live.
-Find a water with a strong older age class. I have waters that I can expect to catch more than one top-end fish just fishing regular stuff. Such situations can come and go though.
Numbers of decent fish?
I track year classes. When I find a good pond with numbers of bass in a certain size bracket, and knowing the average growth rates for bass here, I'll re-visit it in future years to see how that year class is holding up. Sometimes they crash, other times I can have a pond full of decent healthy bass. They may even get "big".
Versatility?
Not all lures, techniques, methods, work everywhere. So... where do each shine? Getting to recognize such habitats, then applying the right stuff, is the best way to expand your versatility. Interestingly, such varying "habitats" can be found in a single water body, even really small waters. If there is a certain side of a pond you just don't catch fish out of, this may not mean there are no fish using that area. It could be that you are trying to force a square peg into a star-shaped hole.
Aesthetics?
If my wife is going, the place better be "special". I can fish in a sewer hole. Although I appreciate "beauty" -my parents were artists; my dad a landscape painter- the beauty inherent in sheer fascination exists under the water for me.
Travel Distance?
I've got responsibilities outside of my time on the water. So, I prefer not to burn that precious time sitting in a truck.
Bottom line:
Prioritize, young man!! Life is short. But it gets stretched out wonderously when you are on the water. I think it's been said that for every hour you spend on the water, or in nature, two are added to your life span. So... prioritize! Don't know about you, but my goal is to live forever.
^^This. I have some state conservation lakes, some city lakes, and a few lakes that are maintained by the county within an hours drive of my house. On a given day no two will fish the same. When I decide to go fishing I pick the lake or pond, based on weather, time of year, cover or structure, and how I feel that day. I'll also go back and look over my fishing logs.
WRB reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 7:01 AM, MN Fisher said:It's actually over 15,000 named lakes/ponds/etc and over 100 named rivers/streams.
If you get skunked even ONCE here, you're doing something very wrong.
Not according to auto license plates. Manitoba claims 100,000 lakes on thier license plates!
California doesn't have that many pot holes with water in them, but very few mosquitos or flies or bugs that bite. If we could count golf course ponds then may be more competitive regarding numbers of ponds with fish. Bass lakes you can launch a boat on we may have 100. Me, I can only fish 1 lake Casitas due to the quagga mussel issue, no brainer where I going as long as it has enough water to launch.
Tom
MN Fisher reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 8:07 AM, WRB said:Not according to auto license plates.
Per MN's DNR website
By the numbers
Number of lakes:
11,842 (10+ acres)
Number of natural rivers and streams:
6,564 (69,200 miles)
There's quite a number of named ponds under 10 acres that add to the 11k figure.
Paul Roberts reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 7:46 AM, Bankbeater said:... On a given day no two will fish the same. When I decide to go fishing I pick the lake or pond, based on weather, time of year, cover or structure, and how I feel that day. I'll also go back and look over my fishing logs.
Ditto! Waters change, a lot. Helps to keep tabs on them. That's pretty much what guides do. To best stay with a given water body, I often pick just a few waters to concentrate on for a given season. I also keep, and use, my fishing journals. They really do help get me in the ballpark, if I haven't been to a given water in a while.
slonezp reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 12:50 AM, J.Vincent said:Put a map on a cork board and throw a dart .....wherever it lands go fish it without question ! Problem solved
Probably the best advice yet. You don't know unless you try it. How many of us get caught up on trying to catch the "big one" on a certain body of water and the "big one" might be just a mile away on another lake? Different bottom composition, different forage, different structure and cover, might be a stones throw away and might make all the difference in the world.
NittyGrittyBoy reply :
Choose the least pressured pond you can, and chances are fishing will be pretty good.
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 8:15 AM, MN Fisher said:Per MN's DNR website
By the numbers
Number of lakes:
11,842 (10+ acres)Number of natural rivers and streams:
6,564 (69,200 miles)
There's quite a number of named ponds under 10 acres that add to the 11k figure.
Massachusetts has 3,000 lakes and ponds
MN Fisher reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 9:41 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:Massachusetts has 3,000 lakes and ponds
I'm aware. I was born and raised in Worcester. Mainly fished Indian Lake, Wachusett Reservoir and a small stream that fed into Indian Lake (lots of brookies in there) when I was a kid.
On vacations, Cape Cod Bay or Lake Winnipesaukee were also fished depending on whether we stayed on the Cape or up in NH.
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 10:57 PM, MN Fisher said:I'm aware. I was born and raised in Worcester. Mainly fished Indian Lake, Wachusett Reservoir and a small stream that fed into Indian Lake (lots of brookies in there) when I was a kid.
On vacations, Cape Cod Bay or Lake Winnipesaukee were also fished depending on whether we stayed on the Cape or up in NH.
Thats awesome! I live in Marshfield, half way between Boston and the cape. Indian has big white perch and crapies
MN Fisher reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 11:00 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:Thats awesome! I live in Marshfield, half way between Boston and the cape. Indian has big white perch and crapies
When I fished Indian, got some good yellow perch as well. And the first largemouth I ever caught was from Indian.
Also had lots of carp in there too.
Mr. Aquarium reply :
I've only fished it twice not a bad spot
Paul Roberts reply :
On 12/19/2018 at 8:45 AM, slonezp said:How many of us get caught up on trying to catch the "big one" on a certain body of water and the "big one" might be just a mile away on another lake?
I've been known to beat a dead horse, a few too many times.
slonezp reply :
On 12/20/2018 at 8:01 AM, Paul Roberts said:I've been known to beat a dead horse, a few too many times.
I think a lot of us do. We like to fish what is familiar to us. We like to fish memories.
In northern IL, all of the lakes have ramp fees and many have annual user fees. On my home water, I'm in it for $230 a year with fees. Ramp fees here vary from $15-$25 for a single launch, and annual user fees are $110 and up. Fines for not paying the user fees are, the user fee plus a ticket. Needless to say, the cost to fish limits where I fish. Especially, since I fish every weekend from ice out to ice up. I look at it like investing. I'm willing to take chances once in awhile but I'd prefer to put my money somewhere that gives me the best return.
MN Fisher reply :
On 12/20/2018 at 9:20 AM, slonezp said:In northern IL, all of the lakes have ramp fees and many have annual user fees.
That's insane. 'Public' ramps here are maintained by the DNR and cost nothing to use. Only time I have to pay to use a ramp is if I launch at a marina.
slonezp reply :
On 12/20/2018 at 9:25 AM, MN Fisher said:That's insane. 'Public' ramps here are maintained by the DNR and cost nothing to use. Only time I have to pay to use a ramp is if I launch at a marina.
The only "public" ramps are at our state parks and, yes they are free but, I'd rather not deal with the fiasco. I launch at the American Legion Hall on my home water. The launch fee goes to our veterans. The user fee goes to an agency that manages the waterway.
MN Fisher reply :
On 12/20/2018 at 9:35 AM, slonezp said:The only "public" ramps are at our state parks and, yes they are free
State and Regional Parks here you need a purchased window sticker - but one each covers all the parks in the state. Then the ramps are free. The Public Ramps are numerous - Minnetonka has 10 public ramps and 1 regional park ramp...all free. That doesn't include the 6 marinas - one of which I occasionally use as it's the closest launch point to Seton Lake - one of the sub-lakes of Minnetonka and a good bass/crappie spot.
slonezp reply :
On 12/20/2018 at 9:40 AM, MN Fisher said:State and Regional Parks here you need a purchased window sticker - but one each covers all the parks in the state. Then the ramps are free. The Public Ramps are numerous - Minnetonka has 10 public ramps and 1 regional park ramp...all free. That doesn't include the 6 marinas - one of which I occasionally use as it's the closest launch point to Seton Lake - one of the sub-lakes of Minnetonka and a good bass/crappie spot.
Did they ever pass that invasive species fee?
MN Fisher reply :
On 12/20/2018 at 10:04 AM, slonezp said:Did they ever pass that invasive species fee?
Ya, $5 tacked onto the boat registration fee.
As of 2010 - last year I can find figures, we had over 800,000 registered boats in the state - so $4million every three years for that.
soflabasser reply :
Forgot to mention something earlier that I feel is very important about choosing where to fish. Make sure to travel for fishing as much as you can when you are still relatively young and in good health so you can fully enjoy your fishing adventures. You don't want to leave these fishing trips for when you are too old and not in the best of health. Save money but not at the expense of enjoying life. Find the balance that keeps you feeling satisfied and still saving money for retirement.
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 12/20/2018 at 7:44 PM, soflabasser said:Forgot to mention something earlier that I feel is very important about choosing where to fish. Make sure to travel for fishing as much as you can when you are still relatively young and in good health so you can fully enjoy your fishing adventures. You don't want to leave these fishing trips for when you are too old and not in the best of health. Save money but not at the expense of enjoying life. Find the balance that keeps you feeling satisfied and still saving money for retirement.
I travel a lot, the best smallmouth lake in the state is 2.5 hour drive. I work till 11 pm on friday nights. So I pack everything and drive up after work, Sleep in my car for a few hours then fish for the whole day. Then drive back.
Last time I did that, I got 1.5 hours of sleep, felt like absolute crap for the whole day. Fished for 10 hours with out a bite, the last 2 hours turned into something I'll never forget. All smallmouths. 6.9lbs, 5.5, 4.2. 3.5 and a 2lb, all but the 5.5 were on topwater. my buddy got the skunked.
Tennessee Boy reply :
On 12/20/2018 at 10:03 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:I travel a lot, the best smallmouth lake in the state is 2.5 hour drive. I work till 11 pm on friday nights. So I pack everything and drive up after work, Sleep in my car for a few hours then fish for the whole day. Then drive back.
Last time I did that, I got 1.5 hours of sleep, felt like absolute crap for the whole day. Fished for 10 hours with out a bite, the last 2 hours turned into something I'll never forget. All smallmouths. 6.9lbs, 5.5, 4.2. 3.5 and a 2lb, all but the 5.5 were on topwater. my buddy got the skunked.
Just so you know. You won't be able to do this when you're in your 50s. ????
Mr. Aquarium reply :
well thats a bummer! On weekends in the fall, I drive 7-8 hours west to fish for the day, for steelhead and giant brown trout. We often leave at midnight so when we get there we can fish before checking into the hotel. some days we drive up saturday at midnight, other days we leave at thursday or friday at midnight. come home sunday
Im going to make a seasonal list for where and when to fish certain types of lakes.
the reel ess reply :
I'd go where there are the fewest other human beings. They can be a real drag on my fishing experience. One place I fish is private, owned by all the landowners around it. It's about 30 acres, but I'm still a little bummed when I get there and see just one other person on it.
WVU-SCPA reply :
I've been trying to decided if I want to go to a sure fire impoundment where the ned rig will produce smaller bass or head to lake where a jerkbait hcould produce a muskie, pike, hybrid, or big momma bass this afternoon.
Now that those thoughts are into words....I don't think I can pass up the 2nd option.
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 12/21/2018 at 10:56 PM, the reel ess said:I'd go where there are the fewest other human beings. They can be a real drag on my fishing experience. One place I fish is private, owned by all the landowners around it. It's about 30 acres, but I'm still a little bummed when I get there and see just one other person on it.
I’m often alone on the spots I fish! It’s awesome! I rarely see anyone out there!
A-Jay reply :
On 12/22/2018 at 3:33 AM, Mr. Aquarium said:I’m often alone on the spots I fish! It’s awesome! I rarely see anyone out there!
Me three....
A-Jay 
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