Bailey Lake Fishing Guide, Cass County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Bailey Lake in Cass County, Minnesota. The water sits 1,332 feet up. About 8 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Cass County. 25 miles away sits Cohasset, the nearest town. Further out sit Crosslake (26 miles) and Grand Rapids (27 miles). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Bailey Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Cass County include largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, walleye and northern pike. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Bailey Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 67°F; the cold one sits at 6°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That shapes the year on Bailey Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Peterson Lake at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. For Bailey Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.