Cranberry Lake Fishing near Bemidji, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Hubbard County, Cranberry Lake is a Minnesota water. It sits in mixed forest. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Hubbard County. Bemidji at 19 miles is the nearest place to stop. Fargo sits 85 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Cranberry Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Public occurrence data for Hubbard County names walleye, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Cranberry Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 67°F in July and bottoms out near 4°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cranberry Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Clancy Lake is 0.8 miles distant. Signs at Cranberry Lake carry more weight than any list.