Sugar Lake Impoundment in Cass County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Cass County entry here is Sugar Lake Impoundment, in Minnesota. The land about it is pine and birch. The water covers some 73 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Nearest place of any size is Bemidji, 25 miles away. Fargo sits 122 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Sugar Lake Impoundment

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Fish documented in Cass County include largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and walleye. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Sugar Lake Impoundment a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for July and 4°F for January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan any trip to Sugar Lake Impoundment around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. Part of this sits inside or beside Sugar Lake Wildlife Management Area, so read the notices. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Sugar Lake is 1.4 miles off. The position on Sugar Lake Impoundment is worth confirming on the day.