Mission Lake Fishing near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota

• Overview

  Mission Lake is one of the Becker County waters in Minnesota. The surroundings are lake country bush. Around 242 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. At about 3.7 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Size puts it in the front rank of our Becker County list. Detroit Lakes sits 18 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Fargo, 47 miles distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Mission Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Becker County include bluegill, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Mission Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 68°F, while January sits near 4°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan any trip to Mission Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Birch Lake sits 1.2 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Mission Lake in what we hold.