Fishing at Antler Lake, Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Antler Lake sits within Itasca County in Minnesota. The ground around here is mixed forest. With some 229 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. You are looking at roughly 3.3 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. It ranks high for size among our Itasca County listings. Nearest town is Coleraine, 23 miles off. Keewatin is 24 miles and Cohasset 26 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Antler Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name yellow perch, largemouth bass and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The near bank of Antler Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 66°F and January about 4°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan any trip to Antler Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Beaver Lake, 0.6 miles away. The position on Antler Lake is worth confirming on the day.