Smith Lake in Douglas County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Smith Lake, in Douglas County. The land about it is rolling bush. The water covers around 644 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. At about 5.6 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Few waters listed in Douglas County are bigger. 4.7 miles away sits Osakis, the nearest town. Fargo is the closest city, 102 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Measured depth reaches about 34 feet at the deepest point. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Douglas County cover largemouth bass, common carp and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Smith Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 9°F in January and 71°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Plan any trip to Smith Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Mud Lake is 1.4 miles off. Signs at Smith Lake carry more weight than any list.