Rat Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Rat Lake in Cass County, Minnesota. The ground around here is mixed forest. At 20 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. 12 miles away sits Lake Shore, the nearest town. Then Pequot Lakes, 13 miles, and Nisswa, 14 miles. Not far off: Crooked Lake at about 0.8 miles, Round Lake near enough 0.9 miles, Kelly Lake at about 1.2 miles, Seven Lakes near enough 1.2 miles and Camp Two Lake at about 1.7 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Rat Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Cass County include largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, walleye and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Rat Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 68°F on average, January about 6°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That is the shape of the year on Rat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Crooked Lake at 0.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Rat Lake should be assumed from this page alone.