Fishing at South Maple Lake, Otter Tail County, Minnesota

• Overview

  South Maple Lake stands in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The setting is pine and birch on every side. It runs to roughly 40 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. About 2.5 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Most waters listed here for Otter Tail County are larger. Nearest town is Parkers Prairie, 4.8 miles off. Fargo sits 88 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on South Maple Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Otter Tail County include largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of South Maple Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 69°F at the top of summer and 7°F at the bottom of winter. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan any trip to South Maple Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Eastern Wildlife Management Area covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. North Maple Lake sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. For South Maple Lake in particular, ask before you travel.