Mud Lake near Gaylord: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in Sibley County, Minnesota. The water sits 971 feet up. The water covers some 31 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. On size it sits at the modest end of our Sibley County list. Some 5.5 miles away sits Gaylord, the nearest settlement. Arlington is 6.5 miles away, with Glencoe at 9.8 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Sibley County records list green sunfish, white sucker, black bullhead and orangespotted sunfish among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Mud Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 72°F; by January the average is down near 12°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about early April and return around late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Mud Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Kirby Lake, 1 mile away. Check the position at Mud Lake before loading the car.