Fishing Hardwood Lake in Cass County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Hardwood Lake sits in Cass County, out in Minnesota. Land around it is mixed forest. It covers about 16 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Cass County are larger. 15 miles away sits Pequot Lakes, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 104 miles away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Hardwood Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Read Hardwood Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 6°F in January and 68°F in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Hardwood Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Deer Lake, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Hardwood Lake before loading the car.