Myrtle Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Myrtle Lake is set in Clearwater County, Minnesota. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. Small at around 12 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Clearwater County. 21 miles away sits Bagley, the nearest town. Then Park Rapids, 24 miles, and Bemidji, 25 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Myrtle Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Clearwater County list bluegill, northern pike, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Myrtle Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 4°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Myrtle Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Ozawindib Lake is 0.7 miles distant. Signs at Myrtle Lake carry more weight than any list.