Private Lake (not official) Fishing in Douglas County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Private Lake (not official) is one of the Douglas County waters in Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,362 feet. It measures about 79 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 1.8 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The closest town, Alexandria, is 11 miles away. The big place round here is Fargo, 86 miles distant. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Private Lake (not official)

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Douglas County cover largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Read Private Lake (not official) before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 70°F at the top of summer and 8°F at the bottom of winter. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Time your trip to Private Lake (not official) by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Indian Lake is 1.1 miles off. For Private Lake (not official), the notice at the access point is the final word.