Kraemer Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Stearns County, Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. With some 189 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 2.5 miles on foot. 2.5 miles away sits Saint Joseph, the nearest town. Further out sit Collegeville (3 miles) and Rockville (5.6 miles). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Kraemer Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Stearns County include largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, walleye and black crappie. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Kraemer Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 71°F and January near 10°F on the long-run figures. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Kraemer Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. A picnic area is mapped about half a mile away. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Dullinger Lake, 1.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Kraemer Lake.