Spring Lake Fishing near Fergus Falls, Minnesota

• Overview

  Within Otter Tail County, Minnesota, you have Spring Lake. The water sits 1,227 feet up. Around 48 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. With about 1.2 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Nearest town is Fergus Falls, 5.3 miles off. For a city, Fargo is 56 miles off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Spring Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Otter Tail County cover largemouth bass, black crappie, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Spring Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 7°F in January up to 70°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Spring Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Lake Aunie at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. For Spring Lake in particular, ask before you travel.