Howard Lake Fishing near Howard Lake, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Howard Lake belongs to Wright County. The bank gives way to mixed forest. This is sizeable water at about 727 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. At about 4.6 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It ranks high for size among our Wright County listings. Howard Lake lies 0.8 miles from the water. Minneapolis sits 40 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Howard Lake

  The charted maximum sits at about 41 feet. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Wright County include largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Howard Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 72°F and January near 11°F on the long-run figures. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. The lid tends to go about early April and return around late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Howard Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Milky Lake, 2 miles away. Rules at Howard Lake are worth checking on the day.