Fishing Little Cranberry Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Crow Wing County entry here is Little Cranberry Lake, in Minnesota. The water sits 1,407 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 15 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Crow Wing County are larger. The nearest place of any size is Crosslake, 11 miles away. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 122 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little Cranberry Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Crow Wing County cover largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Little Cranberry Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 6°F in January to roughly 67°F in July. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On average, mid April opens the water and late November closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Little Cranberry Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. 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 access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Island Lake, 1.1 miles away. Treat Little Cranberry Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.