Mud Lake Fishing, S of New York Mills, Minnesota

• Overview

  Mud Lake lies in Otter Tail County, in Minnesota. What surrounds it is mixed forest. The water covers some 65 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Roughly 1.3 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. The nearest place of any size is New York Mills, 11 miles away. Fargo is the closest city, 71 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Otter Tail County cover largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Mud Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 5°F and July at about 68°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Mud Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Bear Lake is 4.6 miles off. Rules at Mud Lake are worth checking on the day.