Little Lake in Becker County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Becker County, Minnesota, sits Little Lake. Pine and birch runs right down to the water. Surface area runs to about 13 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Becker County list. Menahga lies 9.7 miles from the water. Fargo is the closest city, 73 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Little Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Becker County cover bluegill, largemouth bass and walleye. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Little Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 4°F and July at about 68°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That is the shape of the year on Little Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Shipman Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Little Lake before loading the car.