Woho the second list has my home lake as #25 moving on up from #63. There is a public ramp for #25 4 miles from my house and a private ramp less than a mile. 

Same 9 only in different order

These lists are very subjective to say the least!......Rating lakes is not an easy task to begin with, and many have their prejudices. There are any number of lakes that could be near the top that are not even on the list. Good conversation tho....A good question might be "which highly rated lakes have you fished that did not live up to their billing?".

17  & 74 on the 2013 list. 

I fished #2 from last years list. That place is huge,114,000 acres. Went in mid May. Caught a good many fish but nothing big. Should of went with a guide for 1 day.

My friend lives on #8 the san joaqin delta and I have my boat docked in his backyard I fish it almost everyday after work.

Only 3.....all in Maine: Sebego, Cobbesseecontee, Kezar. But boy, what a bucket list!! Just occurred to me how cool it would be to take a few months off after the Roadtrip and hit all of them that I could on the way to CA to see my son. Ah, the joys of retirement!!

Glad to see lake of the Ozarks made a push up, although for size and numbers I still think it could be higher.

 

Speaking of higher, whoever put Rend lake on at #69 is on drugs.  Really, really good drugs.  Shallow and dull, average numbers and size for IL.  No chance it should be on there, let alone rated higher than others on those list. 

These lists are very subjective to say the least!......Rating lakes is not an easy task to begin with, and many have their prejudices. There are any number of lakes that could be near the top that are not even on the list. Good conversation tho....A good question might be "which highly rated lakes have you fished that did not live up to their billing?".

That is a good question but also relative. Out of the 9 lakes I listed, 3 of them stand out, but I have put plenty of time on only 2 of those bodies of water, KY Lake and Lake Michigan. Most of the other trips were 1/2-1 week long trips with zero experience on that particular body of water. I have found KY Lake and Guntersville easy to fish, meaning easy to find fish with minimal work. Some fish of quality and some being average. Table Rock, LOZ, and Bull Shoals were more difficult for me. Toho was a dud in Feburary under coldfront conditions. I've been fishing Lake Michigan for close to 40 years and it's still a work in progress. I'm still trying to break the 6lb mark for a smallie. 

Many of these lakes are part of the allure of bass fishing & the reason I took time to visit them.

Catching was Lagniappe

_{4, 13, 16, 82, 94 used to live in TN awhile back now I live in Ohio. 4 is less than 5 minutes from my house.}

Smith Mountain Lake, Potomac River, Gaston and Kerr/Buggs Island

3 from list 2; LOZ, Table Rock and Bull Shoals

I live in central ohio so I have fished 0 but hoping to add 1 or 2 this summer.

3 for me , 31 Potomac , 63 Smith Mountain , 81 Buggs Island

From the 2013 list:

 

1, 4, 19, 22, 25, 28, 65, 73, 77, 83

I have fished all of the California and Oregon lakes on the list. Not sure the criteria they use but it would help if BASS came out to California more than once every 5 years. At least they moved Clearlake up the list. How many lakes can you catch a 30lb bag and not even cut a check? Oroville in the top 25 over Berryessa, Shasta and Bullards? Really? I do not understand the fascination with Oroville. I can think of several lakes near by that are better than Oroville and not on the list. 

I have fished 43 and 54, the two in my New Hampshire...

7 Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota

18 Kezar Lake, Maine

24 Roosevelt Lake, Arizona

34 Lake Michigan, Wisconsin/Illinois/Indiana/Michigan

51 Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas/Missouri

70 Lake Pleasant, Arizona
 

74 Cobbosseecontee Lake, Maine

99 Sebago Lake, Maine

 

not too shabby for 18 years. Should be adding kentucky lake, saint lawerence, and the big O on 2014.

 

#4, and #21 for me.

8,20,22,47,52,69.

 

And for the life of me, I can't figure out how #69, Tarpon, made any list, for any reason, ever.

4, 5, 14, 21, 43, 53 and 82

 

8,20,22,47,52,69.

 

And for the life of me, I can't figure out how #69, Tarpon, made any list, for any reason, ever.

 

They were smoking something on that one.

Sad I had to grow up on Ky/Pickwick lake. Sad sad.

Illinois only has one lake on the list and its 4 hours away from me that sucks buttermilk lol. But ive fished 16, 36, and 90.