Hartley Lake Fishing near East Gull Lake, Minnesota

• Overview

  Hartley Lake lies within the bounds of Cass County, Minnesota. It sits at 1,191 feet above sea level. Around 134 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The edge runs 2.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. You are 2.6 miles from East Gull Lake. Minneapolis sits 111 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Hartley Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Cass County names largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Hartley Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 8°F to 69°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. That shapes the year on Hartley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Moburg Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Hartley Lake in what we hold.