Bass Lake in Anoka County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bass Lake falls in Anoka County, part of Minnesota. Height above sea level is 912 feet. It runs to roughly 76 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The full circuit measures close to 1.3 miles on foot. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Minnesota listings. Supplies mean a trip to Nowthen, 0.6 miles off. Ramsey follows at 5.2 miles, then Elk River at 5.5 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Anoka County: bluegill, common carp, black crappie and largemouth bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Bass Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 71°F, the coldest about 11°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Average temperatures cross freezing around early April in spring and again near late November in autumn. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Bass Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Pickerel Lake is 0.8 miles off. Nothing on Bass Lake should be assumed from this page alone.