Fishing Cedar Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Cedar Lake lies within the bounds of Stearns County, Minnesota. The water sits 1,270 feet up. Around 190 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Around 3.1 miles of margin, front to back. On our Stearns County list it sits near the top for size. For supplies, Sauk Centre is 2.9 miles out. Melrose is 6.8 miles and Osakis 15 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Cedar Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Stearns County list largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, walleye and black crappie. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Read Cedar Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 71°F and January at 9°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Cedar Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Twin Lake at 1.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Cedar Lake before loading the car.