Stony Lake Fishing in Otter Tail County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Otter Tail County, Stony Lake is a Minnesota water. It lies 1,453 feet above sea level. It covers about 24 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Otter Tail County list. Start from Parkers Prairie, 8.8 miles down the road. Then New York Mills, 17 miles, and Wadena, 17 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Stony Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Stony Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 69°F and January at 6°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. 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. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Plan around that when you fish Stony Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Lake Sixteen, 4.2 miles away. Treat Stony Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.