If you're looking to get out on Lake Minnetonka any time of the year, you're in the right place. Set the Hook Guide Service offers a variety of guided fishing services on Lake Minnetonka to suit every angler's needs. Choose from half-day fishing trips, three-quarter day guided fishing trips or full-day excursions, any way you go you're going to have a great day on the water catching fish! We also offer guided ice fishing and ice house rentals in the winter.
Experience the thrill of catching your own fish with Set The Hook Guide Service! As your fishing guide on Lake Minnetonka, I will take you on a fun outdoor adventure and teach you the in's and out's of fishing, regardless of your experience level. With us, you don't even need to bring your own equipment! When the rods are bending and everyone is smiling, that is what a day of fishing Lake Minnetonka is all about.
We can handle large groups as well! Check out our corporate fishing trip options as well.
HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF FISHING LAKE MINNETONKA
LATEST FISHING REPORTS FROM LAKE MINNETONKA
Stay up-to-date with our regular fishing reports from Lake Minnetonka! We post regularly throughout the year to keep our clients and potential guests updated with all the great fishing opportunities on the lake. As your fishing guide on Lake Minnetonka, we'd love for you to be a part of the fun! Give us a shout today and let's go fishing!
WHAT DOES A DAY OF FISHING LAKE MINNETONKA COST?
FISHING GUIDE RATES FOR LAKE MINNETONKA
Private Fishing Charters
Up to 4 Guests • 4-8 Hours • Starting at $425
Our open-water fishing guide operation starts in the spring and runs all the way into late fall.
We offer an easy and enjoyable day catching large fish, without the hassle. We provide the equipment and the knowledge so you simply enjoy the lake experience. We fish a variety of ways depending on the time of year, but we strive to keep everyone involved and of course, catching fish!
I've been fishing Lake Minnetonka a LONG time, and the opportunities to catch fish are almost endless.
Whether you’re a lone angler, a family or an office group looking for the perfect team-building activity, Set The Hook Guide Service offers great fishing trip options for any group. We will take all the hassle out of the booking process, so all you have to do is show up and fish! Our rates include everything you need for a great time of fishing Lake Minnetonka!
DETAILS FOR GUIDED PANFISH FISHING ON LAKE MINNETONKA
ADDITIONAL GUIDED FISHING OPTIONS ON LAKE MINNETONKA
FISHING GUIDE BOAT FOR LAKE MINNETONKA
We operate a Ranger 620 with a Mercury PRO XS outboard motor for fishing Lake Minnetonka. The boat is fully-rigged for a fun and successful day on the water for up to 4-people. If you have more than 4, no problem! We have other guides we partner with to ensure everyone gets on the water.
SOME COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT FISHING LAKE MINNETONKA
WHAT IS ALL PROVIDED IN YOUR FISHING TRIPS?
I provide all of the fishing equipment needed for a good day on the water. This include fishing rods, tackle, bait and life jackets. And of course, you also get me as your friendly fishing guide on Lake Minnetonka. :-)
WHAT DO WE NEED TO BRING FISHING?
For any of our guided fishing trips, you will need the following:
- MN fishing license
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Food or beverages of your choice
- Dress for the weather on that day of fishing
WHAT FISH WILL WE CATCH WITH OUR LAKE MINNETONKA FISHING CHARTER?
While the same kinds of fish inhabit the lake all year, the different seasons see some biting more than others as habits change with the environment. From May until about November, most of our charter trips feature a lot of largemouth bass and Northern pike catches. Occasionally, we’ll haul in walleye and musky, so if you’re a fan of either of these species, chances are you’ll get at least one!
In April and early May, before summer is in full swing, we typically target a lot of sunfish and crappies. It’s the best time of year to catch them before things get too warm and the other fish primarily take over.
We'd love you to come fishing on Lake Minnetonka with our guides!
HOW MANY PLACES DO WE FISH?
For most fishing trips, we will fish 3-6 locations. In the warmer months, it’s easier to fish in more areas because it’s simply a matter of reading the weather and taking out the boat. Our fishing charter on Lake Minnetonka will do what it takes to put you on fish.
HOW DEEP WILL WE FISH ON LAKE MINNETONKA?
While the average depth of Lake Minnetonka is around the 30 foot range, it’s well over 100 feet in depth at it's deepest.
We're usually fishing fairly shallow, but may adjust depending on the time of year and conditions.
Fishing Lake Minnetonka is unique as it has all kinds of depths. Overall, the average depth is around 30 feet; but ther are spots where it also reaches over 100 feet deep.
Lake Minnetonka is around 15,000 acres in size and it the 9th largest lake in the state of Minnesota.
DO WE USE LIVE BAIT OR SOFT PLASTICS FOR FISHING?
We use both live bait and soft plastics, it just depends on the day.
Live bait is usually the most effective bait for the kinds of fishing we do.
For live bait, we normally use a wide variety of minnows.
WHAT FISH SPECIES DO YOU USUALLY TARGET ON LAKE MINNETONKA?
Lake Minnetonka has been well known for multiple species of fish including Bass, Northern Pike, Muskie, and Walleye.
It also is a great fishery for Sunfish (bluegills), Crappies, and more. Normally our Lake Minnetonka fishing guides approach fishing for the most action, depending on the time of day.
During the day, we usually tend to catch more bass, pike, and sunfish. When fishing at night it's tough to beat walleyes and crappies, too. It all depends on what we're after and time of year, as well.
Come join us on the water with your Lake Minnetonka fishing guides here at Set the Hook. We're not far out from Minneapolis, MN for fishing too!
WHAT TYPES OF BAIT WILL WE USE FISHING LAKE MINNETONKA?
We may use live bait or soft plastics, depending on the time of year and the species we're persuing...all depends on what's working for the fishing guide.
Yes, we do use live bait!
During open water season, we normally use various types of minnows. Same in the winter, but we also use wax worms, too.
It comes down to what the fish want that day too!
Meet Your Fishing Guide On Lake Minnetonka
Todd Stauffer has been a local resident for over 50 years and has fished the lakes in the area for over 35. He’s fished many fishing tournaments around the region for more than 10 years, taking two 1st-place finishes and four 3rd-place finishes.
When he retired from his tournament career, he turned he's passion for fishing into Set the Hook Guide Service in 2005. As a fishing guide on Lake Minnetonka, I enjoy staying up-to-date with the recent fishing patterns and sharing the joy of fishing with anglers of all ages.
What Should I Expect on a Day of Fishing on Lake Minnetonka?
During the spring months April and May, we are targeting crappies and sunfish on Lake Minnetonka. These fish are coming into the warm shallow waters to feed. We throw a bobber and minnow and just wait for them to go under or start to move sideways. Or we will use plastic minnow baits or tube jigs by casting them out and reeling them in slow until they commit. We also catch a few bass while doing this. It's always fun to catch them on an ultra-lite set up. As your Lake Minnetonka fishing guide, this is about as simple as fishing gets.
Come May, we are after Large and Smallmouth bass on Lake Minnetonka. We cast spinnerbaits, chatter baits and plastics like wacky worms, tube jigs and ned rigs to entice these fish to bite. The fish will be in shallow water and you can sight fish them at times. Bring your polarized sunglasses.
Then comes June this month is good for trolling for Northern Pike on Lake Minnetonka. These pike will be on the weed edge ready to eat a crankbait that comes their way. The Musky will start to put the feed bags on at this time too. We will cast large spinnerbaits and bucktails in the shallow water to get these fish to bite.
Bass fishing is good on Lake Minnetonka from May through September, with June-August being the best most years.
The walleye fishing on Lake Minnetonka come September and October can be a lot of fun. We're often trolling a crankbait or using live bait for walleyes. The best times are just before or after dark. This is also a good to time to fish for big muskies up in the shallows.
Latest from Set the Hook Guide Service on Lake Minnetonka on IG
History of Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota
Lake Minnetonka is perfectly situated just 20 minutes from downtown Minneapolis, MN.
The famous lake holds plenty of bounty for the seasoned pro and the rookie angler alike, from bass and pike to walleye and muskie. With Set the Hook as your Lake Minnetonka fishing guides, we will show you a great time on the water.
If you like a challenge at the end of your hook, we can do that, and if you prefer to just relax on the water with a drink in hand and soak up the sun while you wait for something to grab your line, we can do that, too.
Whether you choose to join us in the cold or warmer months, there’s never a bad time to go fishing with Set the Hook Guide Service.
We are a multi-species guide service in that we will pursue whatever we feel makes the most sense or is preferred by the anglers. In the spring, we kick off the open water season with panfish and crappies near their spawning bed. As the water warms and fishing opener approaches, we start focusing more on walleye and pike. As a long-time Lake Minnetonka fishing guide service, we have a lot of various tactics and techniques to put you on fish.
When late spring/early summer approaches, the bass kick into gear and are always abundant and active. This makes for an enjoyable fishing trip as you can cast various lures at various depths to trigger active fish.
