Fishing at Coopers Lake, Anoka County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Coopers Lake lies in Anoka County, Minnesota. The setting is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 46 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.0 miles in total. Ground here is low by Minnesota standards. Oak Grove is the closest town at 5.6 miles. East Bethel is 5.7 miles away, with Saint Francis at 5.7 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Coopers Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Anoka County, recorded fish include bluegill, common carp, black crappie, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Fish Coopers Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 11°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Coopers Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Minard Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Coopers Lake.