Camp Lake near Bemidji: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Cass County, Minnesota, is where Camp Lake sits. It lies 1,299 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 32 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Bemidji lies 18 miles from the water. Then Park Rapids, 37 miles, and Redby, 42 miles. Also on the doorstep: Experiment Lake 0.7 miles off, Twin Lake roughly 0.9 miles, Ten Section Lake 1.1 miles off, Moss Lake roughly 1.2 miles and Hessie Lake 1.8 miles off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Camp Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Cass County cover largemouth bass, yellow perch and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Camp Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 4°F to 67°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and mid November closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Camp Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Experiment Lake at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Camp Lake as something to verify.