Second Trestle Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Cass County entry here is Second Trestle Lake, in Minnesota. Height above sea level is 1,490 feet. About 23 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest place of any size is Pequot Lakes, 22 miles away. Fargo sits 104 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Second Trestle Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Cass County cover largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, walleye and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Second Trestle Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 68°F, with January the cold end at about 5°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Anyone fishing Second Trestle Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Second Perch Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Second Trestle Lake if anything is unclear.