Cedar Lake Fishing near Hutchinson, Minnesota

• Overview

  Meeker County, Minnesota, is where Cedar Lake sits. Everything around it is rolling bush. At some 2.6 sq miles it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Some 16 miles of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. It ranks high for size among our Meeker County listings. Start from Hutchinson, 6.6 miles down the road. The nearest city of size is Minneapolis, 58 miles away. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Cedar Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Meeker County cover largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, common carp and bluegill. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Cedar Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 72°F and January reads 11°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Anyone fishing Cedar Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Clear Lake is 1.1 miles off. Confirm before you fish Cedar Lake.