Fishing That Man Lake in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lake County in Minnesota is where That Man Lake sits. The land about it is pine and birch. At some 410 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 8.1 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Size puts it in the front rank of our Lake County list. Ely is the closest town at 31 miles. Babbitt lies 42 miles off, Atikokan another 46 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on That Man Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Lake County names white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On That Man Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 3°F for January. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It sets the rhythm of the year at That Man Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Magie Lake at 1.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish That Man Lake.