Fishing at Hendrichs Lake, Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Hendrichs Lake sits within Itasca County in Minnesota. It sits in mixed forest. With some 72 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Roughly 1.3 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Coleraine at 14 miles is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Fargo, 162 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hendrichs Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Hendrichs Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 5°F to 66°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Hendrichs Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Cutaway Lake, 0.7 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Hendrichs Lake for certain.