Bartlett Lake in Koochiching County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Koochiching County, Minnesota, is where Bartlett Lake sits. Height above sea level is 1,391 feet. Roughly 294 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. The edge covers about 3.1 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. It ranks high for size among our Koochiching County listings. For a base, Redby sits 30 miles out. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 137 miles away. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Bartlett Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Koochiching County: yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Bartlett Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 3°F in January to roughly 66°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan any trip to Bartlett Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Cameron Lake, 1.5 miles away. Where Bartlett Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.