Shallow Lake Fishing near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota

• Overview

  Shallow Lake is one of the Otter Tail County waters in Minnesota. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. It measures about 75 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 1.7 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Nearest town is Pelican Rapids, 12 miles off. The big place round here is Fargo, 50 miles distant. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Shallow Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Otter Tail County records list largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Shallow Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 6°F in January up to 70°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It sets the rhythm of the year at Shallow Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Elbow Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat Shallow Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.