West Olson Lake Fishing in Marshall County, Minnesota

• Overview

  West Olson Lake is a Marshall County water, in Minnesota. The water sits 1,135 feet up. At 22 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Nearest town is Thief River Falls, 22 miles off. It is 112 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on West Olson Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Marshall County: white sucker, black bullhead, black crappie, rock bass and bluegill. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish West Olson Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 67°F, while January sits near 3°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Time your trip to West Olson Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Whisky Lake is 2.4 miles distant. Ask locally about West Olson Lake if anything is unclear.