Henry Lake Fishing in Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Henry Lake, in Crow Wing County. Height above sea level is 1,207 feet. Surface area runs to about 19 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Crow Wing County standards. The closest town, Crosslake, is 2.1 miles distant. Breezy Point lies 5.5 miles off, Pequot Lakes another 8.1 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Henry Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Crow Wing County include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. The county list is broader than any single water. The shape of Henry Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 69°F; by January the average is down near 8°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Henry Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Little Beaver Lake is 0.5 miles off. Treat Henry Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.