Borden Lake Fishing near Redby, Minnesota

• Overview

  Borden Lake lies in Beltrami County, in Minnesota. The ground around here is pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 20 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Beltrami County list holds plenty of bigger water. Redby is the closest place, 19 miles off. Red Lake is 24 miles away, with Bemidji at 27 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Borden Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Beltrami County: walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass and white sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Borden Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 67°F, while January sits near 3°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. On average, mid April opens the water and mid November closes it again. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Expect Borden Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Fields Lake at 2.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Borden Lake.