Fishing Assawan Lake in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Assawan Lake lies within the bounds of Lake County, Minnesota. Everything around it is rolling bush. At about 31 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Ely is the closest town at 32 miles. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 94 miles distant. Nearest other option: Fishdance Lake (1.4 miles), Puffer Lake within 1.6 miles, Bugo Lake (1.6 miles), Screamer Lake within 1.9 miles and Yoke Lake (2.1 miles). Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Assawan Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Lake County records list white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Assawan Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 64°F and January near 4°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Assawan Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Fishdance Lake is 1.4 miles distant. For Assawan Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.