Ball Club Impoundment, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Itasca County, Ball Club Impoundment is a Minnesota water. Height above sea level is 1,286 feet. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Itasca County standards. The nearest town is Cohasset, 19 miles away. Grand Rapids lies 24 miles off, Coleraine another 27 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ball Club Impoundment

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. County-wide records name yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Work Ball Club Impoundment in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 67°F in July and bottoms out near 5°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Ball Club Impoundment.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Little Ball Club Lake sits 2.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Ball Club Impoundment for certain.