Sprague Lake in Lake of the Woods County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Lake of the Woods County, Sprague Lake is a Minnesota water. The water sits 1,142 feet up. It measures some 322 acres, and wind has room to build across it. Around 3.1 miles of margin, front to back. Moose Lake lies 4.7 miles from the water. Then Warroad, 25 miles, and Roseau, 36 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Sprague Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Lake of the Woods County records list walleye, white sucker, sauger, johnny darter and northern pike among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Sprague Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 66°F and January about 0°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Sprague Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Moose Lake is 4.4 miles off. What applies at Sprague Lake may have changed since it was mapped.