Rush Lake Fishing near Fergus Falls, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Rush Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. This is mixed forest country. With some 88 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 3.1 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Supplies mean a trip to Fergus Falls, 3.9 miles off. Beyond it, Elbow Lake at 20 miles and Breckenridge at 21 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Rush Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Otter Tail County cover largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Rush Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 7°F in January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Rush Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Dayton Hollow Reservoir, 1.6 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Rush Lake for certain.