Fishing at Lake Charley, Douglas County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lake Charley is a Douglas County water, in Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. Roughly 97 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The full circuit measures close to 1.4 miles on foot. Supplies mean a trip to Alexandria, 4.4 miles off. Osakis follows at 13 miles, then Parkers Prairie at 15 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lake Charley

  Surveys put the deepest water at about 37 feet. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Douglas County cover largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. The county list is broader than any single water. Work Lake Charley in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 71°F, with January the cold end at about 9°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Lake Charley.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Lake Alvin, 1.2 miles out. For Lake Charley in particular, ask before you travel.