Fishing at Retzloff Lake, Grant County, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Retzloff Lake falls inside Grant County. The surface lies 1,204 feet up. Surface area is around 35 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. About 0.9 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Grant County. Head to Elbow Lake, 11 miles away, for anything you forgot. Beyond it, Morris at 20 miles and Alexandria at 22 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Retzloff Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Grant County include common carp, largemouth bass, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Retzloff Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 71°F and January near 9°F on the long-run figures. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Retzloff Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Turtle Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Retzloff Lake before loading the car.