Big Mud Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Big Mud Lake is one of the Sherburne County waters in Minnesota. Around the bank it is rolling bush. Roughly 221 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The edge covers about 3.2 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. It ranks high for size among our Sherburne County listings. For a base, Becker sits 7.6 miles out. For a city, Minneapolis is 40 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Big Mud Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Sherburne County, recorded fish include bluegill, northern pike, largemouth bass and black crappie. The county list is broader than any single water. Anyone new to Big Mud Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 71°F, the coldest about 10°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Big Mud Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Johnson Slough sits 1.2 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Big Mud Lake in what we hold.