Schram Lake in Grant County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Schram Lake is one of the Grant County waters in Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. Roughly 33 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. On size it sits at the modest end of our Grant County list. Some 9.7 miles away sits Elbow Lake, the nearest settlement. Morris follows at 21 miles, then Wheaton at 22 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Schram Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Grant County cover common carp, largemouth bass, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The shape of Schram Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 71°F and January near 9°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It holds true on Schram Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Part of this sits inside or beside Kloos WPA, so read the notices. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Rhimey Lake, 1.5 miles out. Where Schram Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.