Fishing at Lake Ethel, Otter Tail County, Minnesota

• Overview

  This water sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It stands 1,325 feet above sea level. Around 188 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. With about 2.9 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The closest town, New York Mills, is 16 miles distant. Perham is 17 miles and Parkers Prairie 20 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ethel

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Otter Tail County names largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Lake Ethel gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 70°F for July and 7°F for January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. That shapes the year on Lake Ethel.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Hanson Lake, 1 mile out. For Lake Ethel in particular, ask before you travel.