Balsam Lake Fishing in Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Balsam Lake is an Itasca County water, in Minnesota. The water sits 1,329 feet up. It measures some 616 acres, and wind has room to build across it. The edge covers about 8.8 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. Few waters listed in Itasca County are bigger. Coleraine is the closest town at 17 miles. Then Keewatin, 18 miles, and Cohasset, 21 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Balsam Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Itasca County records list yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Balsam Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 66°F, the coldest about 5°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At Balsam Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a dammed water rather than a natural one, which shows in the shape of the basin. Balsam Island Wildlife Management Area covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Haskell Lake sits 1.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Balsam Lake.