Bass Lake in Crow Wing County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Crow Wing County, Minnesota, is where Bass Lake sits. The surface lies 1,227 feet up. It measures about 75 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is roughly 1.3 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. You are 9.1 miles from Crosslake. For a city, Minneapolis is 118 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Crow Wing County records list largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Bass Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 68°F; by January the average is down near 7°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan any trip to Bass Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. 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. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Eastham Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Bass Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.