Brokaw Lake Fishing near Bemidji, Minnesota

• Overview

  Brokaw Lake lies in Hubbard County, Minnesota. The ground round it is rolling bush. About 23 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Hubbard County standards. Head to Bemidji, 13 miles away, for anything you forgot. Bagley follows at 26 miles, then Park Rapids at 26 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Brokaw Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Hubbard County records list walleye, northern pike, black crappie and bluegill among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Brokaw Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 4°F and July at about 67°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Expect Brokaw Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Marsh Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Where Brokaw Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.