Vinegar Lake Fishing in Morrison County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Vinegar Lake lies within the bounds of Morrison County, Minnesota. Pine and birch runs right down to the water. Surface area runs to about 10 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Morrison County standards. The town to know is Pierz, 10 miles out. Minneapolis sits 89 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Vinegar Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Morrison County names largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, black crappie and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of Vinegar Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 8°F and July at about 69°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Vinegar Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Wittiker Wildlife Management Area runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Little Crody Lake, 3.5 miles out. What applies at Vinegar Lake may have changed since it was mapped.