Mud Lake Fishing in Morrison County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Mud Lake sits in Morrison County, out in Minnesota. It sits at 1,263 feet above sea level. The water covers some 63 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 1.3 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Start from Baxter, 14 miles down the road. The nearest city of size is Minneapolis, 104 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Morrison County include largemouth bass, bluegill and northern pike. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Mud Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 69°F, with January the cold end at about 8°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Mud Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. 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. Bernhart Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Mud Lake before loading the car.