Barish Lake near Mountain Lake: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Barish Lake sits within Cottonwood County in Minnesota. The bank is 1,335 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 50 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. There is roughly 1.1 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Our Cottonwood County list holds plenty of bigger water. Start from Mountain Lake, 6.5 miles down the road. For a city, Sioux Falls is 90 miles off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Barish Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Cottonwood County names common carp, walleye, black bullhead, yellow perch and black crappie. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Barish Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 72°F in July and bottom out at 12°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Look for the thaw near early April; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice clears near early April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Barish Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Rat Lake, 2.7 miles away. Check the position on Barish Lake before loading the car.