Park Lake Fishing near Carlton, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Park Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota. Height above sea level is 1,250 feet. At 372 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. Shoreline comes to about 3.1 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Size puts it in the front rank of our Carlton County list. Carlton at 11 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Minneapolis, 117 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Park Lake

  Published depth figures reach 17 feet at the lowest point. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Carlton County include bluegill, yellow perch and black crappie. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Take Park Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 67°F, with January the cold end at about 7°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Park Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Bob Lake, 2.1 miles out. For Park Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.