Stone Lake Fishing in Stearns County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Stone Lake is set in Stearns County, Minnesota. The surface lies 1,201 feet up. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Stearns County. The closest town, Melrose, is 3.9 miles away. Albany follows at 9.5 miles, then Sauk Centre at 11 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Stone Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Stearns County list largemouth bass, bluegill and northern pike. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Stone Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 71°F at the top of summer and 10°F at the bottom of winter. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Stone Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Cedar Lake, 0.6 miles out. Confirm access to Stone Lake locally before you travel.