< back to locations
White Bear Lake, located in the northeast metro area in the city of White Bear Lake, is a unique urban lake. It's huge, with very clear water and offers lots of fishing and boating opportunities. Although smaller, it's often labeled the Lake Minnetonka of the east metro. Due to the immense boat traffic on this lake and the clarity of the water, it's best to limit your fishing time to early morning and evening.
Largemouth bass is the most popular species in this lake. According to Roger Rucci, a tournament angler and the "go to" guy at Joes Sporting Goods, "This is a good time to find them. They're still around the 8-foot inside weedlines now but soon they will be scattered all over the lake, especially on the outside weedlines and breaks. He suggests using a white spinnerbait with a silver blade; or a 1/8 oz black mushroom head jig with a 4 to 6-inch pumpkinseed Berkley Grub or a gold X-Rap.
You can find these productive bassy areas all over the lake. Mark Schwietz who, with his sons, operates White Bear Fishing: A Fishing School for Youth, suggests starting first up at Ordway's Bar on the upper east side of the lake or the deep, weedy areas south of the Peninsula. Because of the lower water levels, docks are no longer prime locations. In the summer, he likes the deeper weedy and rocky edges at about 12 to 16-feet depth and sometimes even deeper.
He also marvels at the growing population of muskies in this lake. Some are over 50 inches now and growing. Low-light periods are the best times to pursue them, especially during a light misty rain.
There are not a lot of walleyes in this lake but what you do catch will be larger than walleyes from other area lakes. Look for bars, humps and sunken islands with sand, gravel or rock bottoms. By the first of June these areas are so hammered by anglers that the walleyes move into the weeds until the end of August. Your best bet is to fish them at night.
The low water levels have also resulted in difficult launching on White Bear Lake. The best launch is in Matoska Park (Off Hwy 61, turn east on 5th St. to lake) but there is a $20 annual fee for residents and $35 for non-residents. Buy the passes at White Bear City Hall or at the launch. There is a Drop Box for your money on the right side of the launch. The nice woman from City Hall tells me this launch was just redredged and is now hassle free.
You can rent all kinds of boats at Tally's on the west side of the lake and there are food and coffee shops around here too. Kowalski's Market has all kinds of wonderful takeout food as well. You'd be wise to get your food before you get on the lake because there is very little public docking nearby.
As gas prices soar, there's no need to travel far to find quality fishing.
Sybil Smith is the author of the Twin Cities Fishing Guide, Brainerd-Mille Lacs Fishing Guide
and the Twin Cities Shore Fishing Map (East and West).
