Schafer Lake Fishing Guide, Todd County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Todd County, Minnesota, sits Schafer Lake. It stands 1,224 feet above sea level. Roughly 31 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With about 1.1 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The closest town, Sauk Centre, is 9.4 miles distant. Beyond it, Long Prairie at 9.4 miles and Melrose at 11 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Schafer Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Todd County include largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie and northern pike. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Schafer Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 9°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That shapes the year on Schafer Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Feucht Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Schafer Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.