Fishing at Kopperud Lake, Otter Tail County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Kopperud Lake is an Otter Tail County water, in Minnesota. It sits at 1,273 feet above sea level. About 9 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Otter Tail County. Pelican Rapids at 5.4 miles is the nearest place to stop. Barnesville is 12 miles away, with Hawley at 21 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Kopperud Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Otter Tail County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Work Kopperud Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 6°F for January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That shapes the year on Kopperud Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Gaards Lake is 1 mile off. For Kopperud Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.