Smiley Lake in Cass County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Smiley Lake falls in Cass County, part of Minnesota. The surface lies 1,322 feet up. The water covers some 51 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. There is roughly 1.0 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Pequot Lakes sits 17 miles from the bank. Fargo sits 115 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Smiley Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Cass County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and walleye. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The shape of Smiley Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 6°F in January up to 68°F in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Smiley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Sylvan Lake is 0.6 miles off. Signs at Smiley Lake carry more weight than any list.