Mud Lake Fishing near Crosslake, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Mud Lake falls inside Crow Wing County. The ground around here is rolling bush. It covers about 19 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Crow Wing County standards. For a base, Crosslake sits 4.6 miles out. Breezy Point lies 4.7 miles off, Pequot Lakes another 6 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Crow Wing County include largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Mud Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 69°F and January at 8°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Mud Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. 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. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Kimble Lake, 0.6 miles out. Confirm before you fish Mud Lake.