Ten Lake Fishing near Park Rapids, Minnesota

• Overview

  Ten Lake is one of the Cass County waters in Minnesota. It stands 1,322 feet above sea level. At about 27 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The nearest town is Park Rapids, 22 miles away. Beyond it, Menahga at 30 miles and Bemidji at 31 miles. More in the same country: Sixth Lake 0.4 miles away, Fifth Lake at 0.9 miles, Lake Alice 0.9 miles away, Anway Lake at 0.9 miles and Lake Bess 1.1 miles away. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Ten Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Cass County include largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Ten Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 68°F, the coldest about 5°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Ten Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. There is a toilet block some 0.9 miles out. Part of this sits inside or beside Shingobee Recreation Area, so read the notices. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Sixth Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Ten Lake are worth checking on the day.