Moccasin Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Cass County, Moccasin Lake is a Minnesota water. It stands 1,352 feet above sea level. At 272 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The margin runs to about 3.7 miles in total. Size puts it in the front rank of our Cass County list. Supplies mean a trip to Crosslake, 26 miles off. Fargo sits 115 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Moccasin Lake

  Measured depth reaches about 108 feet at the deepest point. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Cass County: largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, walleye and northern pike. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Work Moccasin Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 68°F in July and bottoms out near 6°F in January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan any trip to Moccasin Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Popple Lake, 0.9 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Moccasin Lake for certain.