Favorite Lake/Area and why?

This is easy, the original gold coast on the Chippewa Flowage.  I grew up fishing this lake, (over 50 years now) and love the area.  

If money was no object, why not go places and fish with guides. Screw having your own boat and all the work that goes with it. 

Lakes in the Ely Mn. Region. Cool little town access to the boundary waters and very nice people and beautiful country. Good fishing is a bonus. 

I would probably spend my summers at one of the many resourceful lakes in Canada......plenty of fish....fewer folks fishing for them; definitely a walleye fisherman's dream.

Ok.....to be practical...I have fished the TFF for nearly 20 years and that is my go to spot. Love the solitude, the diversity of structure and it is within a reasonable driving distance. The spooks....those damn stumps that pop up in 15 ft of water are scary....but that is what keeps the recreational stuff off that sacred place.

HEY..... I KNOW WHAT THAT  MEANS.

But I seen on teevee how the Mississippi is all filling in with SAND, and SILT, and it's gonna be nothing but a DITCH in a couple more years.

Ah well, back to my postage stamp in the Nicolet.

I hear the bluegills are biting out on Noquebay.

RR

this is why we can't have nice things

I sort of "bristle" at the "anti-Wisconsin" sentiment. There's nothing inherently "anti-Wisconsin" about coming to the realization that inland fishing (and hunting) in Wisconsin isn't what it was 50 years ago. If you like to catch panfish and bass and catfish inland lake and river fishing is probably as good as it's ever been. I wouldn't have the faintest clue where to catch a bluegill in LOTW.

Maybe we ought to add the Mississippi River to the list of "good places left to fish in Wisconsin"? I haven't fished there for quite a few years, but I was astounded at the sheer numbers of fish (of all species) in the mighty Miss.

A buddy of mine gifted me with a bound volume of Fishing Facts magazine from way back when it was more of a newspaper. Eye-bulging stringers of walleye out of Okauchee Lake. Anybody catching any eye-bulging stringers of walleye out there now?

I've always loved the lakes in the conover/land o lakes area.  Beautiful water and lots of good fishing.   The hunting isn't that good for "trophy" deer but I see many deer every year hunting.   Snowmobile trails are awesome and the addition of ATV trails makes it a great place for the family year round. 

That being said now with 3 small kids I see the appeal of a closer place.   I drive from appleton area and eagle river is 3 hours.   I think something in the 2 hour range would be nice, around the pelican lake or lake lucerne area.   Dont know much about that area but used to go to pelican as a kid and fishing was good then and the hunting wasn't to bad.

For me you get closer to the valley the busier the lakes are and the fishing quality decreases as well.   You couldn't give me a place on legend lake.    

This photo is of a lake in vilas county I ice fished all alone on.   Felt like Canada.   That's what I look for.

I did say, "for the most part" in my anti-WI statement.  I had the Bay in mind when typing that.  But I wonder how long that's going to last with the current bag limits and pressure on the walleye population.  I don't even bother trying to launch and fish on the weekends anymore. There's even some weekdays where I've gotten to a launch on the Bay and found the overflow lot full.  Then you have the potential for the next invasive specie to crash the system.  There are too many variables to make me want to invest on waterfront property on Green Bay.  But I guess if money was no object...

I agree with the anti-Wisconsin sentiment, except concerning the Bay of GB.  Best fishing in the state is in the Bay...and it isn't even close.  Find the right spot on the east shore and you can easily access Lake Michigan, too and have access to the salmon/trout fishery.

If I had unlimited coin and wanted to fish, and enjoy the water, it would be Green Bay and Door County for me.

Lake of the Woods, Ontario. Probably the Sabaskong Bay area.

After over 50 years of watching Wisconsin fishing deteriorate due, in no small part, to the overwhelming numbers of fishermen with better skills and better technology beating the inland lakes to a pulp, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the only body of water worthy of fishing anymore is Lake Michigan. I'm looking forward to exploring Green Bay and the Bays de Noc in my declining years. Hopefully I'll still be able to get the boat off the trailer.

There again, if you have a modest boat (not a battleship) suitable for the Great Lakes you're all set for Lake of the Woods. The fishing is still excellent and there is such a VAST area of water it never seems crowded. It's nice to have technology like GPS and a depth finder but somehow it seems you can just use your wits, your skills, and your fishing tackle to make nice catches of fish like walleye, northern pike and muskie (and crappie!).

I could still theoretically retire to LOTW but I have so much invested in northern Wisconsin already I don't know if it's not already too late. Plus I'd have to pack up all my stuff, sell my property, etc, etc, etc.

Something I think about every day.

RR

It definitely wouldn't be in Wisconsin.  The more opportunities I get to fish other states, the more I realize for the most part what a joke our state is when it comes to fishing.  I've spent two weeks on Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho in my life.  If money was not an issue, my dream spot would likely be somewhere on that body of water.  Preferably an island far away from most folks.  I'd fish the Kokanee, Kamloops rainbows and lake trout daily.  I'd probably find a place somewhere down south to winter.  Where there's good fishing.

Or I'd become a Canadian.