Minnesota Kayak Fishing and the Upper Midwest By: Grant Carston Board of directors at mnkayakfishingassociation. org
If you have the privilege to kayak fish in the land of ten thousand lakes, picking one could be a challenge. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources there are officially 11,842 lakes. So how do I decided where to catch the next lunker largemouth? More importantly how do I catch them when I decide? These questions trouble most kayak anglers that are hesitant to expand to new body ' s of water.
There are plenty of online resources to aid in the process. Start with satellite images and look for eye catching lake features. Weed lines, lily pads, lay downs, sand points and floating bogs are the main things to look for. Once you find a lake then go one step further. Look for fish surveys that are conducted by the department of natural resources. This will give a brief explanation of the fish population and management practices. Now you found your next adventure and your ready to pack.
Generally speaking, most northern glacier lakes will hold a population of bass in shallow cover year round. Some of the best fishing can be found going shallow in cover. Picking the right lures is not as difficult as one would think. The skirted jig is a staple nation wide and works well in the majority of northern lakes. Jigs are a versatile weapon in a bass fisherman ' s arsenal. You can pair them with many soft plastic baits to change its action and drop speed. Craw and creature baits are great trailers for flipping and pitching to targets. Through on a paddle tail minnow or shad and rip it over submerged weeds. My favorite jigs and trailers are from Power Team Lures. There selection of colors is amazing and the quality of the plastic makes them last much longer. Having good plastic trailers means more time in the water and less time monkeying around with shredded baits. Fluorocarbon 15 to 20 pound on a medium to medium heavy action rod. Flipping sticks are most commonly used however I like a little more action in my