Best Destinations | Perch Fishing

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Canada	Canada	Canada

Atikokan, Ontario	LOTW Kenora	Minaki, Ontario
Dinorwic Lake	LOTW Morson	Ontario
Eagle Lake	LOTW Nestor Falls	Perrault Falls, Ontario
Ear Falls, Ontario	LOTW Northwest Angle	Rainy Lake
Ignace, Ontario	LOTW Sioux Narrows	Red Lake, Ontario
Lac Seul		Sioux Lookout, Ontario
Lake Simcoe	Minnesota	Wabigoon Lake

Iowa	Brainerd, MN	New York
	Crane Lake, MN
Iowa Great Lakes	Ely, MN	Finger Lakes
	Kabetogama Lake	Lake Champlain
Michigan	Lake Winnibigoshish
	LOTW Northwest Angle	Ohio
Bays de Noc	LOTW Souh Shore MN
Drummond Island, MI	Leech Lake	Lake Erie
Keweenaw Peninsula	Mille Lacs Lake
Lake Gogebic	Rainy Lake	Vermont
Lake St. Clair	Upper Red Lake
Les Cheneaux Islands		Lake Champlain
Manistique, MI	Montana
Muskegon, MI	Helena, MT	Wisconsin
Saginaw Bay
Traverse City, MI	North Dakota	Door County, WI
		Lake Winnebago
	Devils Lake
	Lake Sakakawea

Canada

Atikokan, Ontario

The Atikokan, Ontario area is home to some awesome fishing. You have a nice combination of big water to fish and tons of smaller lakes and backcountry lakes that receive minimal fishing pressure. You also have access to the Quetico Provincial Park, which has some of the best small waters smallmouth bass fishing anywhere. It’s an awesome smallmouth bass destination with good fishing for walleye, pike, perch and even crappie too.

Dinorwic Lake & Wabigoon Lake

This lake provides good fishing for a variety of species. Anglers usually come here to target walleye and perch to eat and they will target muskie and smallmouth bass for action. Crappie are here too and don’t forget about the muskie. There are some trophy muskie here too if that’s something you want to pursue. The lake isn’t real deep either, so you can find active fish much shallower on this lake than other deep water lakes in the summer. This lake has a little bit of everything, so you’re going to get some action and if you want to target a specific fish, you can totally do that as well.

Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake is located in northwestern Ontario about 120 miles north of International Falls, Minnesota. There is plenty of water to fish with over 68,000 acres of water and over 400 miles of shoreline. Eagle Lake is a great lake for catching walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and muskie. There are plenty of fishing resorts and lodges located on the lake.

Ear Falls, Ontario

Ear Falls is located on the northwest end of Lac Seul. The fishing is outstanding on Lac Seul for walleye and northern pike. You also have the English River system below the dam, nearby Pakwash Lake, Lake Wenasaga and some other area lakes to target. This is a great fishing destination. Most anglers have a hard time exploring all the awesome waters up here because the fishing is so good up here. Few anglers want to leave the body of water they are on since they are catching a lot of fish.

Ignace, Ontario

While this area won’t wow you with a big named Canadian lake to fish, but that doesn’t bother the people who come here every year to fish this area’s many smaller lakes. You don’t have to worry about windy weather ruining your trip here because there is always somewhere to fish where you won’t have to deal with big waves. Anglers target a variety of fish here as most of the lakes will have good fishing for northern pike and walleye. Some lakes are also good for lake trout or smallmouth bass as well. You have plenty of options with enough resorts and campgrounds on many of the nicer lakes to fish in the area and if you bring a smaller boat, you can experience some good fishing on some of the backwater lakes here too.

Lac Seul

Lac Seul is the second largest body of water located entirely within the province of Ontario. It is 150 miles long with many bays, islands and narrow channels. The lake has many rock shoals that provides excellent habitat for smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, muskie and perch. This lake has resorts spread out on the east end and the west end. This is a big lake and it’s not uncommon to make long runs out here. However, this lake is loaded with fish so if you put in the time to learn the areas around where you’re staying, you should be able to catch some fish close to home too. This is one of those lakes that delivers on 100 fish days and even better if you hit it just right.

LOTW Kenora

Kenora, Ontario is the most popular part of Lake of the Woods. This is where you are going to find the most services, the most people and basically everything you will need for an ideal fishing vacation. The downside is that you will see more people fishing here than on other parts of Lake of the Woods, but with a 15 to 20 minute boat ride, you can easily find some water all to yourself. This is an amazing part of Lake of the Woods that gives you the feel of being around everything while also still feeling like you are getting away from it all. It’s an awesome destination.

This area is home to some incredible fishing on Lake of the Woods. The smallmouth bass fishery is outstanding for numbers and some big fish are here too. You will find lots of 2 to 3 pound smallies here with some smaller and some bigger. Northern pike are here in good numbers and some big fish live here too. Walleye fishing can be very good if you know how to target them. Big fish in the upper 20 inch range are possible with some fish exceeding 30 inches. The muskie fishing is very good as well. Good numbers of fish are possible and big fish up to and above 50 inches are possible. Largemouth bass, perch and crappie area also available here.

LOTW Morson

The Morson area of Lake of the Woods is a nice vacation destination for those of you that are looking to get away from it all and enjoy the outdoors. The scenery is beautiful here and you won’t find the crowds here, that’s for sure. This area is unique because it gives you access to some big open water and you can also fish some of the protected waters around all the islands that are great for fishing when the winds pick up.

The Morson area of Lake of the Woods is home to some excellent fishing. Anglers typically come here to target walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and muskie. Good numbers of fish are here and big fish are available for all 4 species of these fish. Largemouth bass, perch and crappie area also available here.

LOTW Nestor Falls

Nestor Falls is located south of Sioux Narrows and Kenora. For some visitors, this is the preferred destination on Lake of the Woods because the drive isn’t too bad when you’re coming from the U.S. It’s only about an hour and fifteen minute drive from International Falls, Minnesota and the fishing can be very good here. You will find plenty of services here to plan an awesome trip, but don’t expect to have all the conveniences that you will find farther north in Kenora.

The Nestor Falls area is home to some excellent fishing on Lake of the Woods. Smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and muskie will get the most attention from most anglers here and the fishing can be incredible here. Good numbers of fish are available and big fish are possible for all 4 species of fish. Largemouth bass, perch and crappie area also available here.

LOTW Northwest Angle

The Northwest Angle is a very unique destination. It is located in the United States, but you have to drive through Canada to get here. The border crossing is different here, so we recommend a quick online search to see the latest information for crossing the border here. Most people come here to fish and the fishing is very good in the Northwest Angle.

This area is home to some awesome fishing. You can find good numbers and trophy smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and muskie in the Northwest Angle on Lake of the Woods. Some anglers report the better fishing will be on the Canadian side of the lake, but there is plenty of good fishing available on the Minnesota side as well. Largemouth bass, perch and crappie area also available here.

LOTW Sioux Narrows

Sioux Narrows is an awesome vacation destination. Located in between Nestor Falls and Kenora, you will definitely find some areas where you won’t see another boater. However, you will still see some boats and people in this area. It’s not nearly as popular as Kenora, but it gets fished quite a bit. There is so much water to here that you can easily find a place all to yourself whether you are boating or fishing.

The Sioux Narrows area of Lake of the Woods is a very good fishing area. Anglers do well with smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskie and walleye. You may have to take a little bit of a road ride to find the better walleye fishing, but it is worth it as the walleye fishing can be very good here. Big fish and good numbers of fish are possible here. Largemouth bass, lake trout, perch and crappie area also available here.

Minaki, Ontario

Minaki is home to the Winnipeg River system. The fishing can be very good here for walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, muskie and more. This area has plenty of resorts, but it is much less crowded than nearby Kenora. It’s not too far either in case you needed to make a trip back into the popular town of Kenora. Most anglers come here to fish the Winnipeg River system, however, there are plenty of other lakes here to fish as well.

The Winnipeg River system is the main body of water to fish in this area and it has good populations of walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and muskie. You can catch trophy fish of all species too, which is awesome.

You can also catch lake trout in some of the area lakes that offer deeper, cooler waters. Perch and crappie are here too, so if you want to target panfish, you can. Some of these lakes have a lot of perch also, so you will most likely catch more perch than crappie depending where and how you are fishing.

Perrault Falls, Ontario

The Perrault Falls area has so many lakes to fish that you’ll wish you had a full month off from work to fish it all. The major lakes that get most of the attention here are Perrault Lake, Wabaskang Lake and Cedar Lake. If you have access to a smaller boat though, there are so many other lakes that you can fish in this area. Walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, perch and muskie are all here.

This area is such a good multi-species fishing area. Whether you fish on one of the main lakes that we listed above or you decide to take a smaller boat on some of the smaller lakes in this area, you can easily find a lake to catch all of the species of fish listed below. Pike and smallmouth bass might be the best in this area, but the walleye fishing is good, muskie can be very good and panfish such as perch and crappie are here too. It’s just a great area for so many species of fish. Anglers also target lake trout and whitefish in this area, but they are definitely secondary compared to the species listed above.

Rainy Lake

Rainy Lake is located along the border of Minnesota and Canada near International Falls. A large portion of the lake surrounds Voyageurs National Park. Rainy Lake is a popular vacation destination for people that enjoy the outdoors. There aren’t a ton of places to stay here, but there are just enough to service the people who come here for a vacation.

Rainy Lake has some excellent fishing opportunities for northern pike, walleye and smallmouth bass. All 3 species of fish are here in good numbers and trophy fish are available too.

Some anglers do target crappie and perch on Rainy Lake. Anglers usually catch some sauger mixed in while fishing for walleye. These fish are here, but don’t expect to consistently catch them unless you know how to target them. There have been some very nice reports of some unbelievable crappie fishing here, but you have to do your homework to score big here consistently for crappie.

Red Lake, Ontario

Red Lake, Ontario is located north of Ear Falls. It’s a far drive, but well worth it for those of you willing to make the drive. The most popular lakes to fish in this area are Red Lakeand the Gullrock Lake, but the Gullrock Chain of Lakes is made up of 5 lakes and they all offer good fishing to anglers. There are some other area lakes up here as well that offer some excellent fishing. Northern pike, walleye and lake trout are the main species of fish to catch up here, but some anglers do fish for smallmouth bass, muskie, perch and whitefish.

The primary species of fish in this area are northern pike and walleye. Anglers do very well for numbers of walleye and pike as well as trophy-sized fish. Red Lake, the Gullrock Chain and Nungesser Lake are awesome lakes for fishing and there are other lakes in the area too that provide great fishing.

Walleye and pike are what anglers come here for, but you can definitely target perch and lake trout and catch some fish. Smallmouth bass are here, but in small numbers on the main lakes. Some huge muskie are caught here, but they are very rarely seen up here. When you do see one, it may be a monster though. Whitefish can be caught too, but they are usually super deep so very few anglers will ever see one.

Sioux Lookout, Ontario

The Sioux Lookout area is one of the better drive-to fishing destinations in all of Ontario. This area has Lac Seul, which is known for its outstanding walleye fishing. Lac Seul is the big draw and on some of the other parts of Lac Seul, walleye and pike will be plentiful, but muskie and smallmouth bass not so much. In the Sioux Lookout area, you can target muskie and smallmouth bass to go along with excellent walleye and pike fishing. The variety of species to go along with good numbers and trophy fish make this area an awesome fishing destination. Some of the other popular lakes to fish are Abram Lake, Minnitaki Lake, Botsford Lake, Big Vermillion Lake & Little Vermilion Lake. In this other lakes, there are a lot of options for targeting different species of fish. Muskie, pike, walleye, smallmouth bass and lake trout are all available. It just depends on the lake that you’re fishing.

Vermilion Bay, Ontario

Vermilion Bay is a small town located on Eagle Lake. Most people come here to fish Eagle Lake, however, some people use this as their base as they can head several different directions to experience some awesome fishing up here. If you are looking for better numbers of fish, most people would go farther north for a day trip. Drive 45 minutes to an hour and a half north and you have a lot of options in the Ear Falls and Perrault Falls area.

There are other lakes in this area to fish as well. Some people stay in the small campground on Crystal Lake. You can catch decent pike in this small lake or head to some of the other area lakes. Blue Lake is nearby and has a resort called Blue Lake Resort on it as well. Clark’s Camp is located on the Indian Lakes Chain, which has 10 lakes with good fishing here. There are so many options in this area and we didn’t even talk about Eagle Lake that much. You could spend a month on Eagle Lake and still not fish it all.

Iowa

Iowa Great Lakes

Michigan

Bays de Noc

The Bays de Noc area covers over 200 miles of shoreline in the southwestern part of the Upper Peninsula. There are beautiful sand beaches to go along with many places to stay, good food and excellent fishing. The area is comprised of three cities and towns, all situated on the shores of Little Bay de Noc – Escanaba, Gladstone and Rapid River. Little Bay de Noc is known best for its trophy walleye fishing during the fall, but you can catch a variety of fish throughout the year on these waters. Anglers catch smallmouth bass, northern pike, perch and crappie to go along with the awesome walleye fishing.

Drummond Island, MI

Drummond Island is very unique island in the Upper Peninsula. This island is home to one of the largest closed loop trail systems for off road – ATV / ORV exploration in the United States. If you like the outdoors, you will find plenty to do around the island. Combine that with some great food, excellent fishing and numerous places to stay and you can see why people enjoy coming to Drummon Island. Anglers fish for salmon, trout, perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, whitefish and other species of fish in the waters that surround Drummond Island.

Keweenaw Peninsula

The Keweenaw Peninsula is the most northern part of Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. Here, you will find some great fishing from inland lakes to the waters of Lake Superior and Keweenaw Bay. Anglers target a variety of fish in this area. On inland lakes, they come here mostly for the walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and perch fishing. On the waters of Lake Superior, salmon and trout are priority, but other fish are available. On the spawning streams, steelhead provide exciting action.

Lake Gogebic

Lake Gogebic is located in the Upper Peninsula and it is Michigan’s largest inland lake. This lake is very popular for fishing, boating and camping. With over 13,000 acres of water, there is a lot of water here to fish, but with some good electronics and a fishing map, you should be able to narrow down some of the better fishing spots a lot faster. Lake Gogebic is known as a very good walleye and perch lake, but you can also target northern pike, smallmouth bass and whitefish.

Lake St. Clair

Lake St. Clair is the smallest lake in the Great Lakes system. It is not considered as one of the “Great Lakes,” however, it is part of the Lake Erie basin. Lake St. Clair is shallow, with an average depth of around 10 feet and the maximum depth of 21 feet.

Lake St. Clair offers some excellent fishing. You can catch trophy smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, perch and muskie. This lake is unique in that so many different species are targeted by anglers. There are many anglers that target smallmouth and largemouth bass, while others target the great-tasting walleye, and some anglers go crazy over the muskie in these waters. Local anglers believe that St. Clair is the best smallmouth bass lake in the state.

Les Cheneaux Islands

The Les Cheneaux Islands are home to the villages of Cedarville and Hessel. Located on the shores of Lake Huron and close to lakes Michigan and Superior, this area has great fishing, miles of beaches, small town charm and much more. This area gives anglers so many options with all of the water that is here. Fish the many channels or open water for salmon, trout, perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, whitefish and other species of fish.

Manistee County, MI

Manistee County is located on Lake Michigan, a part of northwestern Michigan. Historic Manistee, the Victorian port city, is the county seat, and it features a riverwalk running through downtown to Lake Michigan. The coastline villages include Onekama, Arcadia, Bear Lake, Copemish, Kaleva, Brethren, and Wellston. This area offers so much for people that enjoy the being around the water. Fishing, boating, beaches and plenty of accommodations, restaurants and shops make this a popular tourist destination in Michigan.

Salmon and trout are the primary species of fish in this area for most anglers. With Lake Michigan here and some very good river fishing available, it’s easy to forget about the other game fish here. Anglers can also catch walleye, big pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, muskie and a variety of panfish.

Manistique, MI

Manistique is located in the Upper Peninsula near the Bay de Noc area. It’s not a large city, but it is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and this area is popular for tourism. This area is home to “The Big Spring” which is the largest in Michigan. It’s over 40 feet deep and 16,000 gallons of clear water gush per minute. The water is crystal clear and there are tons of trout that call this area home. It’s a cool place to see.

Muskegon, MI

Muskegon is a decent-sized city that is known as a popular summer tourist destination in Michigan. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, people come here to fish, boat and just enjoy the outdoors. The Muskegon River is also a huge attraction here since it’s one of the better fishing rivers in the state for salmon, trout and smallmouth bass.

Saginaw Bay

Saginaw Bay is a bay within Lake Huron located on the eastern side of Michigan. It forms the space between Michigan’s Thumb region and the rest of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Saginaw Bay is a large bay covering 1,143 square miles. It is one of the most popular places to fish for walleye in the United States.

Traverse City, MI

Traverse City is located at the bottom of Grand Traverse Bay. The bay is part of Lake Michigan and it is 32 miles long, 10 miles wide and up to 620 feet deep in some spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula. Traverse City is the main town on the bay and this is a very popular tourist area. Plan on finding many restaurants, shops, accommodations and and some awesome scenery around the water.

This area offers some outstanding fishing for lake trout, salmon and smallmouth bass. Most anglers come here for the smallmouth bass fishing because it is truly amazing. You will find tons of bass in the 2 to 3 pound range and bass in the 4 to 5 pound range are possible with bigger fish here caught too. There are also some inland lakes close by which gives you some options when the bay is too rough on windy days.

Minnesota

Brainerd, MN

The Brainerd Lakes Area is located in northern Minnesota. With 465 lakes in the area, this area is loaded with recreational opportunities. There is plenty to do here for every age group. Have fun boating, fishing, hiking, golfing, shopping or dining. Numerous resorts and hotels are located in Brainerd giving you many options for either a family trip or a weekend fishing trip with friends.

The fishing is good on most of the lakes in the area. Most anglers target walleye, northern pike and bass. There are good numbers of fish as well as some trophies in the Brainerd Lakes Area lakes.

Crane Lake, MN

Crane Lake, MN is located in northern Minnesota near the Minnesota – Canada border. The pristine waters of Crane Lake, Sand Point Lake and Namakan Lake are located in Voyageurs National Park. This area is a wonderful vacation destination to get away from it all. The unspoiled waters, pristine wilderness and outstanding fishing attract thousands of visitors every year.

Ely, MN

Ely, Minnesota offers some of the finest outdoor adventures in the United States. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area provides some of the most spectacular fishing you’ll ever experience. The opportunities are endless in this region. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is the largest wilderness preserve east of the Rocky Mountains. You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy these waters. There are many canoe outfitters that can help you with all of the details of planning a trip into the Boundary Waters. You will also find numerous resorts along the lakes in the Ely area.

This area is known for its tremendous smallmouth bass, walleye and northern pike fisheries. Some lakes are better than others, but if you take this area as a whole, there are a lot of places where you can fish and do well for smallies, pike and walleye. Good numbers are possible and trophy fish too.

Kabetogama Lake

Kabetogama Lake is part of Voyageurs National Park on the Minnesota, Ontario border. This lake has miles of pristine, undeveloped shorelines and 25,000 acres of water. It is a popular vacation destination for people who love the outdoors. There are many resorts waiting to accommodate you and most of them have boat rentals available at the resort.

Walleye, sauger, northern pike and perch are the primary species of fish in this lake, however, the smallmouth bass and crappie fishing can be pretty good here too. Walleye are the preferred target by most anglers. Good numbers of fish plus some very big fish are possible here. For pike, it’s one of the better big fish lakes in Minnesota. Perch are available in big numbers, so expect to catch them while fishing for walleye. Smallmouth bass and crappie are here too.

Lake Winnibigoshish

Lake Winnie is one of the best, if not the best, walleye lakes in Minnesota. Visitors love coming to Lake Winnie for the outdoor recreation. Boating, fishing, hunting, swimming, hiking and biking are very popular in this area. There are plenty of resorts around the lake to make your trip a comfortable one.

This lake is known as a great walleye fishery. The perch and pike are here too. Most anglers come here to target walleye and if they use smaller sized baits, they end up catching walleye and perch. When they go with bigger minnow-style baits they tend to do well with walleye and northern pike. It’s a good lake to fish and you can expect to catch all 3 species of fish if you tie on a jig and lively minnow.

While most people come here to fish for walleye, pike and perch, there are some other fish in this lake too. Crappie are here in low numbers. You can find some bluegill, rock bass and other sunfish too if you fish for them. There is a fishable population of largemouth bass here, however, many anglers never fish for them. Target the reeds and you will have a shot to run into some of these fish too.

Leech Lake

Leech Lake is located mainly within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation and completely within the Chippewa National Forest in north central Minnesota. The Lake is one of the most popular tourism destinations in all of Minnesota. There are numerous recreational opportunities here such as fishing, boating, hunting, golfing, hiking, biking and much more. You will find a variety of accommodations here to fit your needs.

The primary species of fish that most anglers come to Leech Lake are walleye, northern pike and muskie. All 3 species are here in good enough numbers for anglers to target them and catch them. There are some trophy-sized fish here too for all 3 species of fish.

This lake has such a diverse fishery. If you’re just looking for action, you can fish with live bait and catch a little bit of everything. For those of you looking to target largemouth bass, there is a solid fishery here and most anglers don’t even think about fishing for bass here. Find the weeds, fish shallow and don’t be shocked when a pike hits your bass lures.

LOTW Northwest Angle

LOTW Souh Shore MN

The South Shore of Lake of the Woods is open water fishing. It is an awesome area, but the winds can definitely blow here and the waves can making fishing difficult. You will find bigger boats in this area the norm, however, when the waters are calm, smaller boats do fine here too. This is a very popular walleye destination.

Walleye, sauger and northern pike are definitely the primary species of fish along the south shore of Lake of the Woods. The walleye fishing is unbelievable in this part of the lake and the pike fishing can be very good as well. Some very big walleye and pike are caught here every year. Largemouth bass, perch and crappie area also available here.

Mille Lacs Lake

Mille Lacs Lake is Minnesota’s second-largest lake and it covers 132,000 surface acres. Mille Lacs is a great lake for outdoor recreation, but it has been known for its outstanding walleye fishery over the years. There was a walleye collapse and they are hoping to be coming out of that now, however, there are plenty of restrictions on the lake as far as keeping walleye throughout the seasons. This has been a huge debate on the lake. Fortunately, the smallmouth bass fishing is off the charts good right now which is helping make up for the walleye issues.

Mille Lacs Lake has been an awesome walleye lake historically. There have been some issues in recent years and there have been new regulations put in place to try to restore the walleye fishery to its better years. The smallmouth bass fishery has taken off recently with anglers reporting lots of bass being caught with some absolute huge bass here too. Smallmouth bass in the 4 to 6 pound range are possible on any given day and on some days, you may catch several fish in this range with lots of 2 to 3 pound fish too. Pike fishing is good for anglers who go out and target them and some big fish are here too.

This lake has a very diverse fishery. Some anglers do target muskie and largemouth bass, however, most anglers don’t come here for these fish. The panfish are a nice addition for anglers looking to catch some perch, crappie and bluegill.

Rainy Lake

Rainy Lake has some excellent fishing opportunities for northern pike, walleye and smallmouth bass. All 3 species of fish are here in good numbers and trophy fish are available too.

Upper Red Lake

Upper Red Lake is known for its excellent walleye and northern pike fishery. Back in the mid-1990s, the walleye population was nearly crippled because of over harvesting. The Red Lake Nation control most of Upper Red Lake and Lower Red Lake and only tribal members are allowed to fish these areas that are controlled by Red Lake Nation. Commercial fishing took its toll and depleted a majority of the walleye on the lake.

The lake has recovered because of an extensive stocking program and new regulations. Don’t let the 8.0 ranking fool you into thinking this isn’t a great fishing destination. It is way up north and the amenities are limited in this area, however, if you’re looking to catch fish, this lake delivers. The state-controlled section of the lake is popular among fishermen and there are plenty of lodging options to accommodate you on our trip.

Montana

Helena, MT

Helena is the capital of Montana and the county seat for Lewis and Clark County. This city is very unique in that it has a nice blend of the past and the present. You will be able to find plenty of hotels and other accommodations in Helena. This city is surrounded by pristine forests and there are plenty of places to experience the great outdoors. Boating and fishing are popular on Holter Lake, Hauser Lake, Canyon Ferry Lake and Spring Meadow Lake. There are also numerous trout streams in the area.

There are so many species of fish here in the area rivers and lakes. The primary species of fish are cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and brown trout, but you will also find perch and walleye here too to go along with some other species of fish.

North Dakota

Devils Lake

Devils Lake is the largest natural body of water in North Dakota. It is the premier vacation destination in the state. You can find some of the finest fishing and hunting here, which will keep you busy for all 4 seasons of the year. The lake is about 122,000 acres and most of it is not developed.

Fishing is excellent for a number of species. Walleye, perch, northern pike, and white bass are caught in Devils Lake. Being a relatively shallow lake with excellent populations of forage, large fish are produced quickly in Devils Lake. Many pike over 10 pounds are caught every year. Walleye in the 6 to 8 pound class are common as well as some jumbo yellow perch. Most people target the pike, perch and walleye, but don’t forget about the white bass. There are lots of them and many white bass are caught over 3 pounds here. Devils Lake gives anglers a great place to getaway as well as an opportunity to land the fish of a lifetime.

Lake Sakakawea

Lake Sakakawea is one of the three largest man-made reservoirs in the nation. The lake has a surface area of about 368,000 acres and is 178 miles long with depths ranging from 70 to 175 feet in the main channel. The lake offers many opportunities for boating and fishing.

The lake can be a challenge for new fishermen because of its size, but it will definitely reward you once you learn the hot spots. You can catch rainbow and brown trout, chinook salmon, walleye, sauger, saugeye, giant northern pike, crappie and perch.

New York

Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes are a group of linear-shaped lakes in the west-central part of Upstate New York. With 11 lakes covering 14 different counties, this region is a major tourist destination. People come here for many different reasons. Fishing and boating are very popular on the lakes, but people also come to the area for the events and festivals, to visit the wineries and to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Fishermen have many options with all of the water in this region. Anglers can fish for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout and more. There are several lakes to fish, some bigger than others and some more popular than others.

Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain is a huge lake located mostly within the borders of Vermont and New York, but a portion of the lake is also located across the border into Canada. It is a natural, freshwater lake and it is very popular among boaters and fishermen. Lake Champlain is 100 miles long and 12 miles across at its widest point. The maximum depth is about 400 feet.

The cool waters provide excellent fishing for salmon, lake trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and northern pike. There are plenty of businesses located on and around the lake to help you plan an excellent fishing vacation.

Ohio

Lake Erie

Vermont

Lake Champlain

Wisconsin

Door County, WI

Rated as one of the top ten vacation destinations in America, Door County has so much to offer. With hundreds of miles of scenic shoreline, there are numerous recreational opportunities in this area. From swimming on the beaches, shopping, dining, hiking, sight-seeing, boating or fishing, Door County has something here for everyone.

Door County is known for having a great salmon and trout fishery as well as being one of the top smallmouth bass destinations in the country. Walleye, northern pike and perch are also plentiful making this area an unbelievable place for fishing. With all of the different opportunities, you might catch your personal record for a variety of species all in one vacation.

Lake Winnebago

Lake Winnebago is the nation’s second largest inland freshwater lake. It is 28 miles long, 11 miles wide and covers 137,700 acres. It is so big that it takes up space in 3 different counties including Winnebago, Fond du Lac and Calumet. The lake covers 85 miles of shoreline and you can find plenty of lighthouses, launch ramps, harbors, parks and restaurants around the water. The lake is very popular for a variety of outdoor activities. There is plenty of room on the lake for everyone.

The fishing on Lake Winnebago is excellent. It is a large lake, but it is not as overwhelming as some would think. It is known as a great numbers lake for walleye and there are many other species of fish that you can catch here too.