Krantz Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Krantz Lake falls in Pope County, part of Minnesota. The setting is pine and birch. Roughly 40 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. On size it sits at the modest end of our Pope County list. Nearest town is Glenwood, 11 miles off. Sauk Centre lies 11 miles off, Osakis another 14 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Krantz Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Pope County cover largemouth bass, common carp, northern pike, yellow perch and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Krantz Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 9°F to 71°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At Krantz Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Lincoln Lake is 2.1 miles off. Confirm access to Krantz Lake locally before you travel.