Largemouth Bass

[Islandlaker]

I know Bass season doesn't start tell June but it is never too early to start planning. I hate to admit it but I have never caught a Largemouth bass, or even fished for them. I grew up on island lake so if you can't catch it on that lake I probally haven't caught it (besides trout). So does anyone have the names of some good largemouth lakes around the Duluth area? I don't have a trailor for my boat so I will have to take my canoe so a smaller lake would be preferable. Thanks!

[andrew chadwick]

caribou and fish both have largemouths.

[gunflint]

Some would look at never having caught a bass as a badge of honor.

[Islandlaker]

Caribou have them huh? Thats weird because I have been there a few times ice fishing and have only caught walleye, crappie, and northern.

Gunflint- I have caught plenty of smallmouth bass just not that largemouth. I see all those guys catching them on the TV and it looks like fun! Though wallye will always be my favorite fish to go for.

[andrew chadwick]

smalliees are way more fun than largemouth.

as for not catching them through the ice, bass don't seem to bite much through the Ice. I think I have only caught 2 or 3 and I almost always am fishing a lake with them. the ones I have caught were while fishing for bluegills.

[Northlander]

Some would look at never having caught a bass as a badge of honor.

I would!

[Capt.Blaine]

I know Bass season doesn't start tell June but it is never too early to start planning.

You dont have to wait that long...

May 23, 2009- 6

Feb. 28, 2010

(either or (May 9, 2009-combined) Feb. 28, 2010,

north and east of

U.S. Hwy. 53 from

Duluth to International

Falls and

Pelican and Ash lakes in St. Louis County.)

SMALLMOUTH BASS Sept. 14, 2009- Catch and Release only

Feb. 28, 2010

[Leaddog]

Hard to beat hunting bucketmouths predawn with buzzbaits!

[andrew chadwick]

Hard to beat hunting bucketmouths predawn with buzzbaits!

thats easy to beat, try latching into a steelhead that jumps four feet in the air!

[fishinfey8]

haha kind of crazy but i caught a huge largemouth last year on island. Prolly ran at least 4 lbs. I called the dnr when it happend and they said that island lake has just introduced a new species. As far as targeting or catching them on island, I think it was a huge fluke.

Fish lake is a great largemouth lake...some real hogs in there boy.

[widleoz]

Hi, I will be traveling to visit some friends that live on Island lake resevoir. (west side). I am going to bring up my fishing boat. Any ideas? How are the crappies? walleyes? I will be there around the holiday weekend. thanks.

[Northlander]

You got great advice from Down Deep in your other post. I think thats about as good as it gets man.

[Bob Zbaracki]

Chub Lake carlton good largemouth lake

[andrew chadwick]

haha kind of crazy but i caught a huge largemouth last year on island. Prolly ran at least 4 lbs. I called the dnr when it happend and they said that island lake has just introduced a new species. As far as targeting or catching them on island, I think it was a huge fluke.

Fish lake is a great largemouth lake...some real hogs in there boy.

I caught a sauger in there, so I believe it.

[fishinfey8]

You caught a sauger in fish or island? Also, I heard of a picture of a sturgeon caught on island lake this winter, anyone else hear this?

[Islandlaker]

I can't believe you caught a largemouth on island I have been fishing there my whole life, same with a sturgen and sauger. SOmeone must have put them in there themselves. My dad says he caught a huge brown trout in the mouth of the cloquet river back in the 80's so I guess who knows...?

By the way should we change the name of this thread to craziest fish you have caughten on Island Lake?

[Islandlaker]

Ok sorry for the double post here but I just went to the DNR lakefinder site. I did a search on Island and in the 2006 survey there were largemouth it didn't say how many but it did say it was the first time they were ever surveyed on the lake.

Well I guess I will have to try to find some warm shallow bays... Getting back to the main topic on this thread, what is the best way to target largemouth? Is it the same as smallies?

[JBMasterAngler]

So if largemouths are getting into island, how soon will smallies take over fish?

I tend to catch largies on the same baits I use for smallies, however I'm more willing to use a variety of baits for largemouths as I am with smallies. They'll smack just about anything on the surface, and they'll inhale any gulp bait you can carolina rig. One thing I've noticed is largies are better at throwing hooks than smallies are, and they're just as likely to go airborn.

[fishinfey8]

Thats a good question JB. I am quite surprised thath this didn't happen sooner to be honest. It's kind of fun b/c now you really don't know what your gonna get! I don't think it will do harm to the lake, and I don't think that largemouth will exactly flourish in island lake.

[Bobby Bass]

Bass fishing starts in our parts east of HGY 53 on opener several good bass lakes in our area. Island Lake has smallmouth as does the big bay. Browns have been in the Cloquet river for years. At least thirty that is when I started fishing for them. Some good bassin water going up HGY 53 as well as down I-35 Bass also in Pike Lake to. Shoot me an email if ya want to know more..

[fishin4sum]

Bass? [PoorWordUsage] rough fish. I look at them as an invasive species!

[JBMasterAngler]

I read an old finns and feathers map of island, and it said the DNR tried to establish a largemouth population back in the 70's and it didn't work.

[Islandlaker]

I think a largemouth population on island would be awsome! I don't really think it would hurt the walley pop would it?

[JBMasterAngler]

I rarely agree with walleye anglers when it comes to their opinions on bass, but this might be a possible exception (to an extent). Largemouth do feed heavily on fish, and they have been known to eat up walleye fry/fingerlings as well as lot's of perch. I don't think the average angler would notice any change in the walleye numbers, but I will say that if you compared largemouths to smallies they'd have more of an affect than their bronzeback cousins.

[loadmaster]

Not to many largies, but some huge smallies pulled a couple of 20s yesterday.

[Islandlaker]

I agree man there are some huge smallies on Island. Sunday morning of opener I pulled in a 20 incher it was great! I have a picture on my cell phone. If I ever figure out how to get it onto the computer I will.