Pug Lake Fishing in Otter Tail County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Otter Tail County in Minnesota is where Pug Lake sits. Around the bank it is pine and birch. Start from Frazee, 3.9 miles down the road. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 52 miles away. Also worth knowing: Jim Lake just 0.4 miles, Rose Lake a touch under 1.1 miles, Rice Lake just 1.2 miles, Wimar Lake a touch under 1.8 miles and Fairy Lake just 2.2 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Pug Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Otter Tail County include largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Pug Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 5°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Time your trip to Pug Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Jim Lake, 0.4 miles away. What applies at Pug Lake may have changed since it was mapped.