Alruss Lake Fishing near Ely, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Saint Louis County, Alruss Lake is a Minnesota water. The bank is 1,381 feet above sea level. With some 27 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. 10 miles away sits Ely, the nearest town. Babbitt lies 24 miles off, Hoyt Lakes another 39 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Alruss Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Alruss Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 65°F; the cold one sits at 3°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Time your trip to Alruss Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Sandpit Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. For Alruss Lake in particular, ask before you travel.