Hole-in-the-Day Lake Fishing near Nisswa, Minnesota

• Overview

  This water sits in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. It lies 1,181 feet above sea level. Roughly 98 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The closest town, Nisswa, is 2.7 miles away. Minneapolis is the closest city, 115 miles away. What else is close: 1 mile out stands Bass Lake Hubert at 1.3 miles, 1.4 miles out stands Fishtrap Lake, Round Lake at 1.7 miles and 2.5 miles out stands Clark Lake. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Hole-in-the-Day Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Crow Wing County: largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Hole-in-the-Day Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 8°F and July at about 69°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan any trip to Hole-in-the-Day Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Bass Lake, 1 mile out. Nothing here settles the position at Hole-in-the-Day Lake for certain.