Crook Lake near New London: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Crook Lake is one of the Kandiyohi County waters in Minnesota. The bank is 1,270 feet above sea level. At about 28 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Kandiyohi County. New London lies 15 miles from the water. Spicer lies 18 miles off, Glenwood another 19 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Crook Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Kandiyohi County include walleye, northern pike, common carp, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Work Crook Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 10°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Crook Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. This sits inside Little Joe Wildlife Management Area, so read the reserve notices first. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Round Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. For Crook Lake in particular, ask before you travel.