Mud Lake Fishing near Lonsdale, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Rice County, Minnesota, sits Mud Lake. Height above sea level is 1,060 feet. Around 161 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Some 3.3 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Lonsdale is the closest place, 8.1 miles off. The big place round here is Saint Paul, 43 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Rice County include common carp, bluegill and largemouth bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Mud Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 11°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Mud Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Shields Lake at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Mud Lake before loading the car.