Anway Lake in Cass County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Anway Lake, in Cass County. The land about it is rolling bush. About 21 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Park Rapids at 22 miles is the nearest place to stop. Menahga is 30 miles and Bemidji 32 miles. Close by you also have: Lake Thirtyfour some 0.7 miles off, Ten Lake just 0.9 miles, Sixth Lake some 1 mile off, Fifth Lake just 1.1 miles and Upper Fifth Lake some 1.3 miles off. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Anway Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Cass County list largemouth bass, yellow perch and bluegill. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Anway Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 68°F for July and 5°F for January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Time your trip to Anway Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Shingobee Recreation Area takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Lake Thirtyfour at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Anway Lake may have changed since it was mapped.