Grass Lake Fishing near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota

• Overview

  Grass Lake sits in Otter Tail County, out in Minnesota. The bank is 1,365 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 48 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. With about 2.0 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Pelican Rapids at 7.2 miles is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Fargo is 47 miles off. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Grass Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Otter Tail County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Grass Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 70°F; by January the average is down near 6°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. 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 shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Plan any trip to Grass Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Canoe Access gives a made launch, half a mile off. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Bass Lake, 0.5 miles away. Confirm access to Grass Lake locally before you travel.