Wood Lake

Wood Lake near 44.6863, -95.5309 is a lake in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. Wood Lake covers about 485 acres, reaches a recorded 8.5 feet and holds about 3,083 acre-feet.

How the Size and Shape of Wood Lake Affect Fishing

Wood Lake is shallow enough that wind, weeds, shade and even a small dip in the bottom can make one part fish better than another.

Fish and Baits at Wood Lake

Fish reported from Wood Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, fathead minnow, freshwater drum, green sunfish, johnny darter, largemouth bass, logperch, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, white sucker, and yellow perch.

Bass

For bass at Wood Lake, fish weeds, wood and shade with a spinnerbait, jig or Texas-rigged worm for largemouth.

Crappie, Yellow Perch, and Sunfish

For panfish at Wood Lake, use a small jig or minnow beside brush for crappie, and fish a worm, cricket or tiny jig near weeds for bluegill and green sunfish, and keep a small jig, minnow or worm close to bottom for yellow perch.

Walleye

For roaming fish at Wood Lake, jig a minnow or troll a crankbait along points and deeper edges for walleye.

Catfish, Bullheads, and Carp

For bottom fishing at Wood Lake, put cut bait, a nightcrawler or prepared bait on bottom for channel catfish, and fish a worm or small piece of cut bait in quiet water for bullheads, and use corn or dough bait on a simple bottom rig for carp.

Other Reported Fish

Other choices at Wood Lake include these plans: bounce a jig, worm or crayfish bait along firm bottom for freshwater drum.

How the Seasons Change Wood Lake

Spring at Wood Lake is a good time to check warm coves and incoming water, and summer is best early or late around weeds, shade and the few deeper holes. Fall at Wood Lake can bring fish back to windy points and banks, while winter calls for smaller baits fished slowly.

A Simple Plan for Fishing Wood Lake

On a first trip to Wood Lake, check one quiet cove, one rocky or firm point and the nearby deep water with a moving lure, then use a jig or worm where you find fish.

Useful Tackle for Wood Lake

A medium spinning rod with 8- to 10-pound line handles most jigs, worms and small lures at Wood Lake, while a medium-heavy rod is better for bass jigs and heavier bottom rigs.

Wood Lake FAQs

Where should an angler start on the 485-acre Wood Lake?

At Wood Lake, pick one cove and the closest point or drop into deep water, then fish that small area well before making a long move.

Should anglers fish the 8.5-foot deep end of Wood Lake?

Not every trip. A better place at Wood Lake is where a point, drop-off or group of baitfish gives the fish a reason to stop.

What does the 3,083 acre-foot storage figure mean at Wood Lake?

At Wood Lake, it shows that a lot of the water sits away from the bank and around the old channel or deep end.