BEst Bass Waters

[Bassmaster-ND]

Wisconsin
State record: 11 pounds 3 ounces, Robert Miklowski, 10/12/40, Ripley Lake
Best water: Madison Chain of Lakes. “It consistently produces big fish, because it’s in the southern part of the state, which is more productive for big bass.” —Patrick Schmalz, warmwater lakes fisheries biologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Contact: D&S Bait, Tackle and Archery, 608-241-4225
Sleeper: Lake Geneva. “It’s more known for smallmouths but actually has a really nice population of largemouths. ”
Contact: The Pier, 262-348-9400
[signature]

[bulldawg53115]

I've fished both of those lakes. Lake Geneva would be a great bet for a big bass. It's max depth is about 128 feet, and it has many miles of shoreline. The problem with it is that it gets overrun by recreational boaters in the summertime. But it has a fantastic fish population, and has potential for record fish of alot of different species. Big lakers, walleyes, northern and smallmouths come out of there every year. I took my biggest walleye out of there in 1990. It was 30 1/8" and went over 10 pounds. And believe it or not, I caught it in 13 feet of water fishing straight down off the end of a pier. There were numerous huge boats going by in a channel right in front of where I caught it. I was fishing for bluegills and smallmouths. I combined a piece of crawler with a large leach on a bluegill hook, and it couldn't resist. It was July 3rd, at about 1 p.m. The temperature was about 95 degrees. I just plain got lucky I guess.
[signature]