Hanson Lake Fishing near Bemidji, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Beltrami County, Hanson Lake is a Minnesota water. The setting is pine and birch. Roughly 93 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. About 1.5 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. For supplies, Bemidji is 19 miles out. Redby is 20 miles and Red Lake 24 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hanson Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Beltrami County cover walleye, yellow perch, northern pike and largemouth bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Hanson Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 67°F in July and bottoms out near 3°F in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Hanson Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Dutchman Lake at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Hanson Lake should be assumed from this page alone.