Little Round Lake Fishing near Crosslake, Minnesota

• Overview

  Little Round Lake is one of the Crow Wing County waters in Minnesota. The bank is 1,204 feet above sea level. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Crow Wing County list. The nearest place of any size is Crosslake, 3 miles away. The big place round here is Minneapolis, 124 miles distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Little Round Lake

  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. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Crow Wing County cover largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Little Round Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 69°F, while January sits near 8°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Little Round Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Upgaard Wildlife Management Area covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Little Bass Lake is 0.3 miles off. The position on Little Round Lake is worth confirming on the day.