Fishing Auk Lake in Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Auk Lake is one of the Cook County waters in Minnesota. Height above sea level is 1,772 feet. The water covers some 62 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 1.8 miles keeps the choices simple. It sits higher than most water we list in Minnesota. Supplies mean a trip to Grand Marais, 28 miles off. For a city, Thunder Bay is 76 miles off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Auk Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Cook County include white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Auk Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 64°F, the coldest about 4°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Auk Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Burt Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Auk Lake may have changed since it was mapped.