Moody Lake Fishing Guide, Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Moody Lake is one of the Crow Wing County listings for Minnesota. It lies 1,194 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 41 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Nisswa sits 4.2 miles from the bank. For a city, Minneapolis is 113 miles off. Water in the same corner: Gladstone Lake at 0.6 miles, Mallard Lake (1.4 miles), Lake Hubert at 1.7 miles, Bass Lake (1.8 miles) and North Long Lake at 2.2 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Moody 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. Survey and observation records for Crow Wing County include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Moody Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 69°F at the top of summer and 8°F at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Moody Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Gladstone Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat Moody Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.