Bakken Lake Fishing near Red Lake Falls, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Polk County, Minnesota, sits Bakken Lake. The surroundings are lake country bush. Surface area runs to about 21 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Polk County list. The nearest town is Red Lake Falls, 13 miles away. Crookston lies 18 miles off, Fosston another 24 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Bakken Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Polk County records list yellow perch, brown bullhead and white sucker among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Read Bakken Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 68°F and January near 4°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That shapes the year on Bakken Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Tilden Wildlife Management Area covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Cable Lake, 2.9 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Bakken Lake for certain.