Fiske Lake Fishing Guide, Otter Tail County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Fiske Lake sits in Otter Tail County, out in Minnesota. What surrounds it is rolling bush. It runs to roughly 235 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The perimeter runs near 3.3 miles, so plan the walk before you start. For a base, Fergus Falls sits 14 miles out. Further out sit Elbow Lake (20 miles) and Parkers Prairie (23 miles). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Fiske Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Fiske Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 70°F on average, January about 7°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Fiske Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try South Turtle Lake, 1.6 miles away. Signs at Fiske Lake carry more weight than any list.