Fishing Rindahl Lake in Polk County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Polk County, Minnesota, sits Rindahl Lake. It sits at 1,220 feet above sea level. At about 29 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Fosston lies 15 miles from the water. Mahnomen is 17 miles and Red Lake Falls 25 miles. Within a short drive: Maltrud Lake just 1.5 miles, Matson Lake at 2 miles, Crooked Lake just 2.5 miles, Tee Lake at 3.9 miles and Union Lake just 4.2 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Rindahl Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Polk County: yellow perch, brown bullhead and white sucker. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Rindahl Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 68°F, the coldest about 4°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan around that when you fish Rindahl Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Rindahl Wildlife Management Area covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Maltrud Lake is 1.5 miles distant. Treat access at Rindahl Lake as something to verify.