Fishing at Grant Lake, Douglas County, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Grant Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. The bank is 1,365 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 173 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 2.2 miles in total. Some 8.9 miles away sits Alexandria, the nearest settlement. Glenwood follows at 14 miles, then Starbuck at 15 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Grant Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Douglas County cover largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Read Grant Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 9°F to 70°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Grant Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Blackwell Lake, 0.6 miles out. Confirm before you fish Grant Lake.