Lake Alott, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lake Alott sits within Crow Wing County in Minnesota. Everything around it is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 43 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The full circuit measures close to 1.3 miles on foot. Baxter is the closest town at 12 miles. Minneapolis sits 102 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 Lake Alott

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Crow Wing County include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Work Lake Alott in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 69°F and January at 8°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It holds true on Lake Alott more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Quick Lake, 0.2 miles away. For Lake Alott, the notice at the access point is the final word.