Lake May Fishing in Cass County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Cass County entry here is Lake May, in Minnesota. This is lake country bush ground. At about 135 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The bank runs about 1.9 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Park Rapids sits 25 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Fargo, 104 miles distant. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake May

  The basin has been measured to about 68 feet. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Cass County names largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Lake May should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 68°F and January reads 6°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Lake May runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Walker Marine is the mapped marina, about 0.9 miles away. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Little Bass Lake, 0.4 miles out. What applies at Lake May may have changed since it was mapped.