Fishing at Nerhus Lake, Polk County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Nerhus Lake is set in Polk County, Minnesota. It sits at 1,201 feet above sea level. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Polk County. Fosston is the closest town at 12 miles. For a city, Fargo is 65 miles off. Within easy reach: Bubak Lake at 0.2 miles, Squirrel Lake a shade over 0.7 miles, Oak Lake at 1.2 miles, Willow Water Lake a shade over 1.4 miles and Bensen Lake at 1.6 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Nerhus Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Polk County include yellow perch, brown bullhead, white sucker and northern pike. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Nerhus Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 68°F; by January the average is down near 4°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Expect Nerhus Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Bubak Lake, 0.2 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Nerhus Lake for certain.