Anna Lake Fishing near Fergus Falls, Minnesota

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Anna Lake, in Otter Tail County. The bank is 1,302 feet above sea level. At some 509 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. On our Otter Tail County list it sits near the top for size. The nearest town is Fergus Falls, 11 miles away. Then Pelican Rapids, 19 miles, and Perham, 22 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Anna Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Otter Tail County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Anna Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 70°F and January reads 6°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It holds true on Anna Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Little Anna Lake, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Anna Lake.