No Man Lake in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake County, Minnesota, is where No Man Lake sits. It sits in pine and birch. Surface area is around 46 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The edge runs 1.5 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The closest town, Ely, is 33 miles distant. Babbitt is 44 miles and Atikokan 46 miles. Nearby, in order: Emerald Lake at 1.4 miles, That Man Lake 1.9 miles away, Rom Lake at 2.1 miles, Mink Lake 2.1 miles away and Littlerock Lake at 2.2 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on No Man Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Lake County cover white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On No Man Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 3°F to 65°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At No Man Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Emerald Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Where No Man Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.