I'm familiar with most of the bucket list lakes in the south and am checking them off this year.

 

What lakes should I schedule a trip around in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin? I love catching smallies! Would like to head north during the dog days this summer for a few days.

I can't speak for MN or WI, but here in Northern MI the "dog days of summer" are not the best times to catch big smallmouth bass.  In Fact, it's probably the worst time for both size & numbers.

 

 Like most every where, the spring (like right now) and fall bites are the best.  Though each season is a little different, the summer is rarely prime time for big brown bass no matter where you go.

 

As for where would be good,  several of the lakes in & around Alpena, MI are very good for smallmouth bass.

 

As the Pro Anglers of Major League Fishing found out last fall when several 5's & 6's were caught during the competition.  The locals have done a good job keeping that little secret for a long time, but the parties over.

 

A-Jay

 

 

 

That's good advice. I'll hold off until the fall. I watched MLF and was very impressed with the quality of bass.

I can't speak for MN or WI, but here in Northern MI the "dog days of summer" are not the best times to catch big smallmouth bass.  In Fact, it's probably the worst time for both size & numbers.

 

 

 

A-Jay

I'll agree. Smallies will go deep in the clear water of the Great Lakes after the spawn. Fishing shallow during low light hours, or fishing deep water by shallow reefs during this time is your best bet.

This week just outside of Milwaukee

Definitely try the Mississippi river between Wabasha MN and La Crosse WI. There's bass everywhere!

Sturgeon Bay..... Nothing beats it for smallies. Look up some of the tourney sacks.

  Mille Lacs is definatly full of hog smallmouth.  A guy at work showed me a pic of him with a smallie about a year ago, said it weighed 8lbs.  That's pretty much the state record, and set back in the late 1940's on top of that.  It looked like an 8lber, but cant be too sure with that guy, but definatly nice fish regardless.  Wall mount jaw drop quality fish.  I believe Mille Lacs has a regulation on smallmouth, so you cant keep them in any size, and must be released back into the water asap.  There are a few other very good lakes as well, check out some on mndnrlakefinder.com  

Thanks for the input. Sturgeon and Mille Lacs look like two great places to start.