A Year on Bertha Lake
Four seasons on a deep, clear lake at the quiet southwest corner of the Whitefish Chain.
A lake is never the same place twice. Bertha Lake changes its face every few weeks, from gray spring ice to blue summer water to the gold of October maples on the shore. If you are thinking about a home here, it helps to know the whole year, not only the Fourth of July.
Picturing your own year on Bertha? Start on the buyer's page, or if you already own here, ask for a private valuation.
Spring: ice-out and first light
Spring arrives on Bertha in stages. The shallow southern and eastern bays, with their soft bottoms and waterlily beds, darken and open first. The deep main basin, which reaches 64 feet, holds its ice longer. Ice-out timing varies from year to year with the weather, and many owners keep a close eye on the channels to Whitefish and Clamshell, where moving water can make ice unpredictable.
Once the water opens, docks and lifts go in, the weed beds begin to grow, and the first pike and panfish move into the warming shallows. The Minnesota fishing opener brings boats through the channels for the first time of the year.
Summer: open water and the chain
Summer is when Bertha's clear water shines. DNR Secchi readings average about 15.6 feet of clarity, and the hard sand and gravel bottom across much of the main lake makes for good swimming. Plants grow in the shallows, mostly in water 10 feet deep or less, while the deep middle stays open for tubing, skiing and long sunset cruises.
From Bertha you can run through the channel to Whitefish Lake and out onto the wider chain, or slip east to Clamshell Lake with its islands. Below the surface, the DNR's survey work shows cold, oxygen-rich water deep in the basin that holds tullibee and lake whitefish all summer, the forage behind Bertha's large walleye and pike.
Fall: color and quiet water
After Labor Day, Bertha settles. Boat traffic thins, mornings come with mist over the water, and the shoreline trees turn. Wild rice and waterlilies in the bays fade to gold and brown. Fall fishing can be strong as predators feed before winter. Many owners say this is their favorite season on the lake, when the water is still warm enough for a last swim and the evenings are long and still.
It is also the season of chores: pulling the dock and lift, winterizing the boat and checking equipment for zebra mussels, since Bertha is designated as infested.
Winter: hard water
When the lake freezes, Bertha becomes a different kind of place. Ice anglers set up over the deep basin and along the breaks, looking for walleye and pike. Snowshoes and cross-country skis open the shoreline in ways summer never does. Ice conditions near the channels deserve extra caution, and the DNR's ice safety guidelines are worth reading every season.
A little history
Bertha is one of the lakes that became part of the Whitefish Chain when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the Pine River dam at the outlet of Cross Lake. Work began in 1884, the original timber dam began operating in 1886, and the structure was rebuilt to its present form between 1905 and 1907. The dam raised water levels and joined a group of separate lakes into the connected chain known today. The Corps still regulates outflow at the dam.
The chain takes its name from the whitefish in its waters. The explorer Joseph Nicollet recorded a Native name for it, translated as the lake where there are many whitefish. Fittingly, lake whitefish still turn up in DNR nets on Bertha. We have not found a verified source for the origin of the name Bertha itself.
Nearby things to do
- Cross Lake Recreation Area. The Corps of Engineers site at the dam in Crosslake offers camping, picnicking, swimming, a fishing pier and boating.
- Pequot Lakes and Crosslake. Both towns have shops, restaurants and summer events within an easy drive of the lake.
- The rest of the chain. A day on the water can take you through several lakes and back by dinner.
Questions
When does Bertha Lake freeze and thaw?
It varies with each year's weather. The shallow bays tend to open first in spring, and the deep basin holds ice longer. Check local conditions and DNR ice safety guidance before going out.
How did Bertha Lake become part of the Whitefish Chain?
The Pine River dam at the outlet of Cross Lake, which began operating in 1886, raised water levels and connected the lakes. Bertha links to Whitefish and Clamshell by navigable channels.
Is fall a good time to visit Bertha Lake?
Many owners think so. Traffic thins after Labor Day, the shoreline turns color, and fall fishing can be productive.
Keep reading
Read about living on Bertha Lake, the Bertha fishing guide, selling a home on Bertha, the Bertha Lake guide, or all the lakes on the chain.
I am David Olson, a broker with a family cabin on the Whitefish Chain in Crosslake, and I would be glad to talk about any season on Bertha. Call or text 218.513.2677 or email david@whitefishpropertyfinder.com. Buyers can start on the buyer's page.
Sources: MN DNR LakeFinder data, Bertha Lake; MN DNR aquatic vegetation report, Bertha Lake; Brainerd Dispatch, Pine River Dam and Crosslake Recreation Area; Whitefish Chain of Lakes overview.