Dewey Lake in Clay County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Dewey Lake in Clay County, Minnesota. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. At 19 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Clay County list. Barnesville sits 11 miles from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Fargo is 29 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Dewey 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. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Clay County include bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie and northern pike. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Dewey Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 5°F for January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That is the shape of the year on Dewey Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Lake Emma at 1 mile is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Dewey Lake.