Slate Lake Fishing in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Lake County, Minnesota, this is Slate Lake. It lies 1,401 feet above sea level. Around 151 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. At about 4.2 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Start from Atikokan, 43 miles down the road. Ely is 43 miles and Grand Marais 49 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Slate Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Lake County include white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Slate Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 64°F and January about 4°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on Slate Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Fran Lake, 1.1 miles away. Ask locally about Slate Lake if anything is unclear.