Reno Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Reno Lake falls in Crow Wing County, part of Minnesota. It sits at 1,234 feet above sea level. Roughly 169 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The whole outline is near 2.1 miles, and most of it is walkable. 3.1 miles away sits Crosby, the nearest town. Aitkin follows at 9.9 miles, then Brainerd at 16 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Reno Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Crow Wing County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Reno Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 7°F and July at about 69°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Plan around that when you fish Reno Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Jim Lake sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Reno Lake for certain.