Smith Lake Fishing in Beltrami County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Beltrami County entry here is Smith Lake, in Minnesota. It lies 1,335 feet above sea level. At about 32 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The bank runs about 1.0 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Supplies mean a trip to Redby, 15 miles off. Fargo sits 118 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name walleye, yellow perch, northern pike and largemouth bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Smith Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 67°F at the top of summer and 3°F at the bottom of winter. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. At Smith Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Blackduck Lake is 2.1 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Smith Lake.