Howard Lake Fishing near Park Rapids, Minnesota

• Overview

  Howard Lake is a Hubbard County water, in Minnesota. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. Surface area runs to roughly 370 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. It is among the larger waters listed here for Hubbard County. Some 20 miles away sits Park Rapids, the nearest settlement. Menahga lies 27 miles off, Pequot Lakes another 32 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Howard Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Hubbard County include walleye, northern pike, black crappie and bluegill. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Howard Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 68°F and January about 6°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Howard Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Little Bass Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Howard Lake before loading the car.