Hey guys, I've been swamped with work duties so long story short, I have 40 hrs comp time to use. I'm in central Iowa. Where would you go for best chance to catch a BIG bass? I love flipping docks and would love to spend some time doing that. Here are a few places I've been thinking: okoboji, Minnetonka, ozarks. Thoughts?

Below Pickwick Dam, technically Kentucky Lake. You could almost count on a 5lb smallmouth

in mid October through the middle of March. For the best largemouth in the region, Guntersville

is a lock! 

Well, you named 3 quality bass fisheries, but you also specified 'BIG'.

'Big' would have to be quantified: for instance 6 is big, 9 is real big and 12 is the creme de la creme.

Each weight-class comes with a different list of candidate lakes.

 

Roger,

Within hour far of a drive? Brining your own boat or needing a guide service or rental boat? Lots of options out there but some of those good southern or southeast lakes will be very long drive one way. Many MN lakes have a very untapped population of 2.5 to 5lb bass.

In Iowa I call 4 lb big, 6 lb real big and 8 lb creme de la creme. I appreciate the Kentucky lake or guntersville suggestion but that's too far for this short trip. Sorry I didn't specify. I'm thinking 6 hrs max.