Johnson Lake Fishing near Cohasset, Minnesota

• Overview

  Johnson Lake lies in Cass County, Minnesota. The water sits 1,286 feet up. It runs to roughly 26 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Cohasset lies 14 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 139 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple. Trees shelter part of the bank when the wind gets up.

• Where to Fish on Johnson Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Cass County include largemouth bass, yellow perch and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Johnson Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 67°F and January reads 5°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Johnson Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Lake Sixteen at 1.3 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Johnson Lake is worth confirming on the day.