Mud Lake Fishing, NW of Perham, Minnesota

• Overview

  Otter Tail County, Minnesota, is where Mud Lake sits. Height above sea level is 1,322 feet. It measures about 46 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. For a base, Perham sits 3.6 miles out. After that come New York Mills at 8 miles and Frazee at 15 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end. It sits away from the main road, which keeps the noise down.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Otter Tail County list largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Mud Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 69°F and January near 6°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Anyone fishing Mud Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Albert Lake, 1.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Mud Lake is worth confirming on the day.