Deer Lake Fishing near Pequot Lakes, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Cass County entry here is Deer Lake, in Minnesota. This is pine and birch country. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Cass County list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest place of any size is Pequot Lakes, 14 miles away. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 105 miles away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Cass County cover largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, walleye and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Deer Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 68°F; by January the average is down near 6°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Deer Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Milford Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Deer Lake if anything is unclear.