Fishing at Little Gulch Lakes, Hubbard County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Hubbard County end of Minnesota holds Little Gulch Lakes. The water sits 1,375 feet up. Surface area runs to about 18 acres — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Hubbard County are larger. Nearest place of any size is Park Rapids, 20 miles away. Bemidji follows at 21 miles, then Menahga at 31 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Little Gulch Lakes

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Hubbard County cover walleye, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Little Gulch Lakes the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 4°F to 67°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Expect Little Gulch Lakes to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Camp Lake, 1.2 miles out. Rules at Little Gulch Lakes are worth checking on the day.