Fishing Smith Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Hubbard County, Minnesota, this is Smith Lake. This is pine and birch ground. It covers about 12 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Hubbard County standards. Bemidji sits 12 miles from the bank. Bagley lies 16 miles off, Little Rock another 32 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Hubbard County include walleye, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Smith Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 67°F at the top of summer and 4°F at the bottom of winter. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Smith Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Crystal Lake, 0.8 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Smith Lake.