Fishing at Emerald Lake, Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Within Lake County, Minnesota, you have Emerald Lake. It stands 1,404 feet above sea level. At some 650 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The edge covers about 13 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. On our Lake County list it sits near the top for size. Some 33 miles away sits Ely, the nearest settlement. It is 93 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Emerald Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Lake County, recorded fish include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Emerald Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 65°F in July and bottom out at 4°F in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. On Emerald Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Mink Lake at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. Signs at Emerald Lake carry more weight than any list.