Little Watab Lake near Cold Spring: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Within Stearns County, Minnesota, you have Little Watab Lake. It sits at 1,145 feet above sea level. Roughly 55 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. A shoreline of some 1.5 miles keeps the choices simple. Cold Spring sits 5.3 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Minneapolis, 68 miles distant. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Little Watab Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Stearns County: largemouth bass, bluegill and northern pike. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Little Watab Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 10°F to 71°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. From about early April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Little Watab Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Long Lake, 1.7 miles out. Signs at Little Watab Lake carry more weight than any list.