American Lake Fishing near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for American Lake in the Saint Louis County part of Minnesota. The bank is 1,532 feet above sea level. At about 26 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Hoyt Lakes is the closest place, 20 miles off. Two Harbors is 22 miles away, with Aurora at 23 miles. In the same area: Sullivan Lake at 2.1 miles, Spring Hole Lake near enough 3 miles, Harris Lake at 4 miles, Hulligan Lake near enough 4.3 miles and Schinn Lake at 4.5 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on American Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Saint Louis County: yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read American Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 5°F to 65°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to American Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, 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 for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Sullivan Lake at 2.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at American Lake for certain.