Recommended kid friendly fishing vacation locations in MN/WI - Resort, VRBO Lakes, Campsites

[Deephaven]

Finally have a boat again.  Looking to take a few trips with my boys this year.  They are 9 and 11.  My goal is to put them on fish so they get excited about it.  That being said numbers are probably more important than trophy fish.  We are open to renting a house on a lake, staying in a resort, camping in a tent, complete outdoor friendly family.  Totally fine with zero internet or TV as well...probably even a bonus if my cell phone won't work.

 

I'd love to hear if any of you have recommendations of lakes.  Would prefer not to target trophy lakes, ie large bodies of water as my youngest is still somewhat scared of the boat so smaller <5000 acre or at least ones that don't have monster waves in inclement weather would be advantageous.  It would also allow some skiing in between the fishing to mix things up.

 

A PM is totally fine and preferred if it is a spot you'd like held more private.  Not looking to dig into anyone's secret spots, but would love to do what I can to get my boys addicted to fishing if I can.  For the thread, if anyone has other ideas that are related to locations or just vacations I'd love to hear them.

 

[MIbassyaker]

2 hours ago, Deephaven said:

Finally have a boat again.  Looking to take a few trips with my boys this year.  They are 9 and 11.  My goal is to put them on fish so they get excited about it.  That being said numbers are probably more important than trophy fish.  We are open to renting a house on a lake, staying in a resort, camping in a tent, complete outdoor friendly family.  Totally fine with zero internet or TV as well...probably even a bonus if my cell phone won't work.

 

I'd love to hear if any of you have recommendations of lakes.  Would prefer not to target trophy lakes, ie large bodies of water as my youngest is still somewhat scared of the boat so smaller <5000 acre or at least ones that don't have monster waves in inclement weather would be advantageous.  It would also allow some skiing in between the fishing to mix things up.

 

A PM is totally fine and preferred if it is a spot you'd like held more private.  Not looking to dig into anyone's secret spots, but would love to do what I can to get my boys addicted to fishing if I can.  For the thread, if anyone has other ideas that are related to locations or just vacations I'd love to hear them.

 

If you're in MN, you probably have some lakes that qualify much closer than this, but we rented a house over the 4th of July last summer on Little Green Lake in WI, which probably fits the bill..... A few hundred acres, and reputation for good multi-species fishing. I caught a few largemouth and pike.

 

It was busy over the 4th, lots of people swimming, fishing, tubing, skiing, but we didn't encounter anything that wasn't family-friendly (no massive drunken sandbar parties, for instance).

 

I personally have a preference for quieter, less-trafficked places, but everybody in our group, age 10 to 70 had fun. I'm not sure what the full variety of rental options are... I know there are a number of cottage rentals, and I remember there was at least one campground.