Reed Lake in Otter Tail County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Reed Lake is set in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,237 feet. Roughly 93 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. A shoreline of some 1.9 miles keeps the choices simple. You are 9.6 miles from Pelican Rapids. Fergus Falls follows at 10 miles, then Barnesville at 22 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Reed Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Otter Tail County records list largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Anyone new to Reed Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 70°F for July and 6°F for January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Time your trip to Reed Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Lake Mason sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Reed Lake as something to verify.