Fishing at Carnelian Lake, Stearns County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Carnelian Lake lies in Stearns County, in Minnesota. The bank is 1,115 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 173 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. You are looking at roughly 3.2 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Start from Saint Augusta, 7.3 miles down the road. Rockville is 8 miles and Cold Spring 9.7 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Carnelian Lake

  Published depth figures reach 36 feet at the lowest point. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Stearns County include largemouth bass, bluegill and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Work Carnelian Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 10°F to 71°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Carnelian Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Murray Lake sits 1.6 miles off and takes the overflow. For Carnelian Lake in particular, ask before you travel.