Fishing at Stray Horse Lake, Beltrami County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Stray Horse Lake sits in Beltrami County, out in Minnesota. The country here is mixed forest. Roughly 34 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. There is roughly 1.3 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. The nearest place of any size is Red Lake, 13 miles away. The big place round here is Fargo, 100 miles distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Stray Horse Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Beltrami County cover walleye, yellow perch and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Stray Horse Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 67°F at the top of summer and 3°F at the bottom of winter. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That is the shape of the year on Stray Horse Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Fawn Lake is 0.8 miles off. Treat access at Stray Horse Lake as something to verify.