Graven Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Graven Lake is listed under Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It stands 1,450 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 17 acres — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Otter Tail County are larger. The nearest town is Parkers Prairie, 2.4 miles away. After that come Wadena at 20 miles and Alexandria at 21 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Graven Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Otter Tail County include largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye and bluegill. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Read Graven Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 7°F to 69°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Graven Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. 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. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Horsehead Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Graven Lake are worth checking on the day.