Fishing Tub Lake in Becker County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Becker County, Minnesota, this is Tub Lake. It sits at 1,358 feet above sea level. Roughly 120 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 2.1 miles in total. The town to know is Hawley, 12 miles out. After that come Pelican Rapids at 13 miles and Barnesville at 15 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Tub Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Becker County include bluegill, largemouth bass and walleye. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Tub Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 69°F in July and bottom out at 5°F in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan any trip to Tub Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The water borders Lage WPA, so expect the reserve rules to apply. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Upper Cormorant Lake at 1.8 miles is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for Tub Lake in what we hold.