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

• Overview

  Within Stearns County, Minnesota, you have Fish Lake. The water sits 1,253 feet up. The water covers some 171 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Shoreline comes to about 2.6 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, New London, is 11 miles away. The big place round here is Minneapolis, 94 miles distant. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Fish Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Stearns County cover largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike and walleye. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Fish Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 71°F in July and bottoms out near 10°F in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The water is typically free of ice between early April and late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Time your trip to Fish Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Crow Lake is 2.8 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Fish Lake.