Star Lake Fishing near Glenwood, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Pope County end of Minnesota holds Star Lake. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. At about 90 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. With about 1.4 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Glenwood lies 4.2 miles from the water. It is 104 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Star Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Pope County cover largemouth bass, common carp, northern pike, yellow perch and black crappie. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Treat Star Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 71°F and January at 10°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Star Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Star Lake Wildlife Management Area runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Pelican Lake sits 1.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Star Lake.