Alex Lake in Itasca County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Itasca County end of Minnesota holds Alex Lake. The surface lies 1,316 feet up. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Itasca County are larger. You are 14 miles from Cohasset. For a city, Fargo is 149 miles off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Alex Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of Alex Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 4°F in January up to 67°F in July. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Alex Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Camp Five Lakes at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Alex Lake.