McCarthy Lake Fishing near Wabasha, Minnesota

• Overview

  McCarthy Lake is a Wabasha County water, in Minnesota. It stands 659 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 79 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The nearest place of any size is Wabasha, 9.1 miles away. Plainview is 12 miles away, with Elgin at 17 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on McCarthy Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Wabasha County cover common carp, bluegill, white bass and johnny darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At McCarthy Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 14°F to 72°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The season between ice runs from about early April to early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. McCarthy Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. The water borders Mc Carthy Lake Wildlife Management Area, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Dorer Pools at 4.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at McCarthy Lake before loading the car.