Fern Lake Fishing in Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Crow Wing County entry here is Fern Lake, in Minnesota. The surroundings are pine and birch. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. On size it sits at the modest end of our Crow Wing County list. The nearest town is Crosslake, 0.8 miles away. Minneapolis sits 123 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Fern Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Crow Wing County include largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work Fern Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 69°F; by January the average is down near 8°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. On Fern Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Tiff Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Fern Lake as something to verify.