Perch Lake near Hawley: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Perch Lake is one of the Clay County listings for Minnesota. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. The water covers some 39 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 0.9 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Nearest place of any size is Hawley, 3.2 miles away. Further out sit Glyndon (15 miles) and Barnesville (16 miles). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Perch Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The near bank of Perch Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 69°F, with January the cold end at about 6°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Perch Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Noreen WPA covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Lee Lake, 1.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Perch Lake for certain.