Myrtle Lake Fishing near Park Rapids, Minnesota

• Overview

  Myrtle Lake is set in Clearwater County, Minnesota. It stands 1,565 feet above sea level. At roughly 20 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. You are 18 miles from Park Rapids. Fargo is the closest city, 78 miles away. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water. It repays a second visit more than a first.

• Where to Fish on Myrtle Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Clearwater County records list bluegill, northern pike, largemouth bass, yellow perch and walleye among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Myrtle Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 4°F in January to roughly 67°F in July. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Myrtle Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Deer Park Lake, 0.3 miles out. Check the position at Myrtle Lake before loading the car.