Lake Ann Fishing Guide, Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Lake Ann in the Crow Wing County part of Minnesota. The setting is pine and birch on every side. At about 48 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. About 1.1 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. For a base, Crosby sits 4.1 miles out. Minneapolis sits 107 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ann

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Crow Wing County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Lake Ann the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 69°F and January near 7°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lake Ann.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Erickson Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. For Lake Ann, the notice at the access point is the final word.