FISHING DESTINATIONS FOR 2003
By Bob Jensen

About this time every year I start planning where I would like to go fishing when the water turns soft again. Following are four of my favorite Midwest locations. At least one of these locations will be within a reasonable drive for most Midwest anglers.

Lake Winnibigoshish in north central Minnesota is perhaps the best place to go if you want walleye action. You will catch plenty of eaters along with some larger ones. June is my favorite time to visit Winnie, but this big lake will produce year 'round.

In the spring, try shallow sand areas. The best spots are not too far off shore. Drifting with eighth ounce Fire-Ball jigs is a great way to catch walleyes along with perch and pike.

As the water warms, move offshore to the deeper structures. Roach Rigs and Rainbow Spinners will be productive. For more information on this great walleye lake, contact judds-resort.com on the Internet, or call 218-665-2216.

An area that I visited last September and look forward to returning to soon is the Oconto/Marinette county region of eastern Wisconsin. Whatever you want to catch, you can catch it in this area. Lake Michigan borders these counties on the east, so trout and salmon are available. Giant walleyes, pike, and smallmouth are also abundant in this section of Lake Michigan.

If you prefer to fish smaller water, there are plenty of rivers and lakes that can be easily fished. These rivers and lakes have lots of walleyes and bass as well, and the potential for a trophy is always there. For information, contact ocontocounty.org or marinettecounty.org or call 888-626-6862.

The northeast corner of South Dakota has seen its fishing opportunities expand greatly the past few years. Rising water has created large lakes from what were duck ponds. Many of these lakes are home to giant perch and pike, others have strong populations of crappies and walleyes, and some of the biggest white bass you'll find.

Fishing season opens early in this region, and the fish are willing to bite aggressively early in the season. Jigs with plastic can be really good for walleyes. In fact, one of the best walleye bites I've ever been in on occurred in northeast South Dakota a couple of years ago. We threw eighth ounce Buck-Shot Rattle Jigs tipped with Power Grubs and Power Minnows to wind-blown points and caught lots of three to seven pound walleyes. Visit sdglaciallakes.com on the web, or call 800-244-8860.

Last spot. Lake Pepin on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border near Lake City Minnesota offers so much fishing variety it can be hard to decide what to fish. Whatever you decide on, you will probably be happy.

If you want walleyes, head to the upper stretches of Lake Pepin. This is more of a river environment with lots of walleyes and sauger. Jigs or crankbaits will both produce.

For largemouth and smallmouth bass, try the backwaters in the lower section of Pepin. These areas are full of fish, many of which will reveal their presence by splashing on the surface as they attack schools of baitfish.

If you're just looking for action, try trolling a Frenzy medium minnow in the mid-sections of the Lake. You never know what you'll catch next, but it usually isn't long between strikes. Contact lakecity.org or call 800-369-4123 for info.

Those are four of the areas that I look forward to returning to this year. Maybe we'll see you there.