Fishing Reames Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota

• Overview

  This water sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. It measures about 66 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The full circuit measures close to 1.7 miles on foot. The nearest town is Perham, 8.9 miles away. Frazee lies 12 miles off, Pelican Rapids another 16 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Reames Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read Reames Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 70°F, with January the cold end at about 6°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. The season on Reames Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public data records a boat ramp half a mile out. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Pickerel Lake at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Reames Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.