Fishing at Mud Lake, Cass County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Mud Lake is one of the Cass County waters in Minnesota. Land around it is pine and birch. The water measures roughly 17 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Cass County list. You are 14 miles from Crosslake. For a city, Minneapolis is 129 miles off. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Cass County include largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, walleye and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Mud Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 67°F and January near 6°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. At Mud Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Goose Lake is 0.3 miles off. For Mud Lake in particular, ask before you travel.