Fishing off the dock doesn’t only yield small prizes. While dock fishing is a fun activity for smaller children, there’s a good chance more serious anglers might reel in largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye and even channel catfish on several area lakes—yes, even in shallow water.

From a bird’s eye view, Lake Minnetonka looks like many smaller bodies of water. In fact, it is one lake that covers about 22 square miles in the western suburb of Wayzata. Come for the fishing and stay for the shopping and dining in downtown Wayzata, a quaint stretch of unique storefronts and restaurants.

Lake Nokomis in south Minneapolis is another dock fishing hot spot, especially when it comes to reeling in walleye. Water access is easy since the entire shoreline is publicly owned, and the walleye reportedly bite the most around dusk. Additionally, piers on nearby Lakes Harriet and Calhoun provide access to deeper water where walleye tend to gather.

Part of St. Paul’s Como Park, Como Lake is a 70-acre body of water with pier access to cast your line in the water. With catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, walleye, northern pike and bluegill in abundance, this is a great lake to catch a variety of fish. Plus, its location in Como Park gives it a serene natural backdrop to enjoy.

Head south to Burnsville to fish Crystal Lake. While anglers report catching mostly bass on this lake, it has a variety of fish, including northern pike, bluegill, crappie and muskie (though few are of legal size). Enjoy miles of public shore access and dropping your line in from the public pier located on the lake’s northern shore.