Lake Minnetonka

Unquestionably the most popular and most productive fishing lake in the Minneapolis
metro area, Lake Minnetonka contains 14,310 acres of water, has more than
100 miles of shoreline, and is surrounded by 15 separate communities.
The best part is that it's chock full of fish.

It's one of the best bass lakes in the Upper Midwest, and the bass are only
getting bigger. The average size caught in tournaments is now three pounds,
and five- to seven-pounders are not unusual.

Some experts claim the explosion of Eurasian milfoil is responsible. A virtual
wall of weeds (about three feet thick) on the surface of the water and the
sparse stems underneath provide hiding places for the bass. Other experts
believe that because milfoil is more difficult to fish, fewer bass are being
caught and the remaining ones are growing larger. Whatever the reason, a
small army of anglers pounds this lake regularly, convinced that the next
state record will come out of these waters. The milfoil is also a haven for huge
northern pike.

Walleyes were first stocked in the mid-'60s, and huge numbers of fingerlings
are stocked annually. There is a good distribution of sizes, and with a lot of
luck or hard work, you can catch walleye that weigh as much as 11 pounds.

Pure-strain muskies have been stocked annually since 1975, and hybrids
were added in 1988. Minnetonka is one of only two lakes in the metro area
that contains smallmouth bass. Monster northern pike (as large as 15
pounds) also are caught regularly in this lake. The sunfish and crappie supply
is limitless.

Fish species
Largemouth Bass (Population: Excellent. Average size: Medium)
Smallmouth Bass (Population: Poor to Fair. Average size: Small to
Medium)
Northern Pike (Population: Fair. Average size: Medium to Large)
Muskie (Population: Fair. Average size: Medium)
Walleye (Population: Good. Average size: Medium)
Crappie (Population: Excellent. Average size: Medium)
Sunfish (Population: Very Good. Average size: Small to Medium)