Balif Lake Fishing near Red Lake, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Balif Lake falls inside Beltrami County. The ground around here is mixed forest. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Our Beltrami County list holds plenty of bigger water. Nearest town is Red Lake, 1.4 miles off. Further out sit Redby (3.5 miles) and Little Rock (5.7 miles). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Balif Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Beltrami County include walleye, yellow perch and northern pike. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Balif Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 67°F; by January the average is down near 4°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Balif Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. You can launch: the ramp is 0.9 miles away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Colombo Lake is 1.1 miles off. Confirm before you fish Balif Lake.