Pleasant Lake Fishing Guide, Cass County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Pleasant Lake lies in Cass County, in Minnesota. It sits in pine and birch country. This is sizeable water at about 1,071 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The margin runs to about 7.5 miles in total. It is among the larger waters listed here for Cass County. Pequot Lakes sits 23 miles from the bank. It is 109 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Pleasant Lake

  Charted depth runs to roughly 80 feet at its lowest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Cass County records list largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and walleye among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Take Pleasant Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 68°F in July and bottoms out near 6°F in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Pleasant Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Boss Lake, 1.2 miles away. Confirm access to Pleasant Lake locally before you travel.