Badger Lake Fishing near Fosston, Minnesota

• Overview

  Badger Lake lies in Polk County, in Minnesota. It sits at 1,168 feet above sea level. At some 259 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The bank runs about 2.7 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Few waters listed in Polk County are bigger. The closest town, Fosston, is 14 miles away. Red Lake Falls is 19 miles and Mahnomen 25 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Badger Lake

  The basin has been measured to about 22 feet. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Polk County include yellow perch, brown bullhead, white sucker and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Badger Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 68°F on average, January about 4°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Badger Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Mitchell Lake, 0.9 miles out. Where Badger Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.