Smith Lake Fishing near Redby, Minnesota

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Smith Lake, in Beltrami County. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. The water covers some 34 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Redby is the closest town at 1.2 miles. Red Lake is 4.2 miles and Little Rock 8.5 miles. Within easy reach: Green Lake out at 0.7 miles, 1.1 miles out stands Chain Lake Shemahgun out at 1.3 miles, 1.5 miles out stands Lake Emerald and Williams Lake out at 1.6 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Beltrami County include walleye, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The near bank of Smith Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 67°F in July and bottoms out near 4°F in January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Smith Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Green Lake, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Smith Lake before loading the car.