Toss a dart at a map of Minnesota and your chances of hitting a productive body of water are about nine out of 10. Can an angler ask for a better situation than to be living in Minnesota, where the fishing is fantastic more often than not? Since no one is ever completely satisfied, the answer is no. Not even providing a list of some of the hottest lakes in our state can make most anglers happy, because they know there’s just not enough time to get to them all in one season.

But that won’t stop us from trying. Here’s a list that is often described as bittersweet. Sweet because it provides options and bitter when the amount of time one can spend chasing fish only allows a visit to a few of these destinations.

JANUARY

Lake Minnetonka

Lake Minnetonka, just west of the metro area, has been producing some huge walleyes from under the ice, and there have been a lot caught. The winter angler must key on the inside turns along the edge of the weedline in 17 to 21 feet of water.

The best times to be on the ice are early morning and evening, which is often the case when chasing walleyes.

Two good spots to get a feel for the type of structure to target are the point that runs from the beach out of Excelsior toward Big Island and the huge rock-topped reef in the middle of Browns Bay.

Little Sauk Lake

There are special regulations on Little Sauk Lake that limit the amount of bluegills an angler can keep. This means a high population of fish, and in the case of this lake, bigger bluegills. There’s very little structure in this lake, so key over the deep water and use a sonar to find those big bluegills that are suspended a few feet off the bottom.

Mille Lacs

By mid-January the ATVs are getting out to the mudflats, and anglers are catching many nice walleyes there. It’s a matter of tying on a 1/4-ounce jigging spoon and tipping it with a minnow head, and working this combination near the bottom. Mille Lacs is the perfect candidate for an underwater viewing camera. With the camera you can tell when you’re on hard bottom, soft bottom or near a transition line, and when the walleye hits the spoon, you can set the hook before you even feel the bite.

FEBRUARY

Big Stone Lake

The bluegills in Big Stone relate to the rockpiles there because there is so little vegetation. Anglers will also find that the bluegills reach a hefty size and put up a great fight under the ice.

Unlike some of the more popular lakes in Minnesota, anglers won’t be ahead of the game by trying to fish with the crowds, because the lake doesn’t get a lot of fishing pressure, which means some of the best rockpiles won’t have another angler on them.

Check with Bud’s Bait in Ortonville and find out where the best bite is happening and plan on using a map to venture out on your own.

Lake Osakis

The crappies in Lake Osakis are present in great numbers, and the fish are big. This is why the lake has plenty of friends in January when the north end gets crowded with anglers in search of this popular winter species.

Knife Lake

Unlike lakes where the bluegill population is huge with a lot of stunted fish, on Knife Lake you might go a few minutes between bites when you’re on a school of fish. But the fish you catch will be big. In early February, work the edge of the vegetation with a tiny jig and wax worm. As the month progresses, the bluegills will move out to the deepest water, so look for them there.

MARCH

Lake Winnibigoshish

Winnie is without a doubt the most prolific perch lake in the world. People from all over come to this popular winter destination to get into some of the finest jumbo perch fishing that can be found anywhere.

The best spots in March are where there hasn’t been any fishing pressure, so wherever there was a “city” of stationary shacks, consider that a spot where the odds are not going to be as good as the rubble reefs that have been left alone. The technique of the masters is a 1/4-ounce jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head.