Gear & Tackle

Home / Minnesota / Lake Minnetonka

Lakes & Reservoirs

Lake Minnetonka Fishing Guide

Minnesota

A metro Minneapolis lake with bays and weed edges for bass and musky.

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to Lake Minnetonka for largemouth bass, bluegill and muskellunge. The best months overall are May to Oct. In October, largemouth bass and muskellunge are in season, and Soft Stick Bait, Bass Jig and Spinnerbait are a good place to start. There are 12 shops within 45 miles (2 fly, 10 bait and tackle); the closest is Dh Custom Rods & Tackle in Wayzata, under 1 mi away.

Best Months

May to Oct

In October

Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge

Methods

Spin, cast & bait

Season at a Glance

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

What You'll Catch

Lake Minnetonka Species

Largemouth Bass

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: Mar to Jun, Sep to Oct

Bluegill

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: May to Aug

Muskellunge

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: Jun to Nov

Plan by Month

What to Use

Month
Fish

11 picks for October. ● means in season that month.

  • Soft Stick Bait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Largemouth Bass

    Shop This Lure

  • Bass Jig 3/8 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Largemouth Bass

    Shop This Lure

  • Spinnerbait 3/8 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Largemouth Bass · Stained water.

    Shop This Lure

  • Bladed Jig 3/8 to 1/2 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Largemouth Bass · Around grass.

    Shop This Lure

  • Squarebill Crankbait 1.5 to 2.5 in

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

    Shop This Lure

  • Lipless Crankbait 1/2 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

    Shop This Lure

  • Walking Topwater 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Topwater · Largemouth Bass · Low light.

    Shop This Lure

  • Suspending Jerkbait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Hard Bait · Muskellunge · Big glide or jerkbaits in fall.

    Shop This Lure

  • Crappie Jig 1/32 to 1/8 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Bluegill

    Shop This Lure

  • Nightcrawlers Whole or half

    Bait

    Live Bait · Bluegill

  • Live Minnows 1 to 3 in

    Bait

    Live Bait · Largemouth Bass

Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Rod & Reel

Recommended Setups

Largemouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 7 or 8 wt rod, bass-taper floating line, 12 to 16 lb leader for poppers and divers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-heavy baitcasting rod, 7:1 reel, 15 lb fluorocarbon or 50 lb braid around heavy cover.

Bluegill

Fly 7.5 to 8 ft 3 or 4 wt rod, floating line, foam spiders and small poppers.

Spin / Cast 5 ft ultralight spinning rod, 1000 reel, 4 lb line with a small bobber.

Muskellunge

Fly 9 ft 10 wt rod, intermediate or sinking line, big articulated flies, 80 lb bite tippet.

Spin / Cast 8.5 to 9 ft heavy casting rod, 400 size reel, 80 lb braid, 130 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Matched to These Species

Gear for Lake Minnetonka

Reels

Abu Garcia Revo SX Baitcasting Reel

A reliable baitcaster for jigs, Texas rigs, and moving baits.

Check Price

Reels

Pflueger President Spinning Reel

Light and smooth for its price. A favorite for finesse and panfish rods.

Check Price

Rods

St. Croix Musky Casting Rod

A heavy, long casting rod for big bucktails, jerkbaits, and figure-eights.

Check Price

Line

PowerPro Spectra Braided Line

Thin, strong braid for long casts, sensitivity, and pulling fish from cover.

Check Price

Rod & Reel Combos

Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Combo

Nearly unbreakable and sensitive enough for most freshwater fishing. A safe first combo.

Check Price

Rod & Reel Combos

Ugly Stik GX2 Ultralight Spinning Combo

Light enough to feel crappie bites and cast small spinners for trout.

Check Price

Rods

St. Croix Triumph Spinning Rod

A sensitive, lightweight rod for finesse plastics and jigs.

Check Price

Line

Berkley Trilene XL Monofilament

Limp, easy-casting mono for spinning reels and general fishing.

Check Price

Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Within 45 Miles

Shops Near Lake Minnetonka