Bass Lake Fishing, SE of Keewatin, Minnesota

• Overview

  Bass Lake lies in Itasca County, Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,398 feet. About 21 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Our Itasca County list holds plenty of bigger water. For a base, Keewatin sits 24 miles out. Fargo is the closest city, 168 miles away. Nearby alternatives: Long Lake 0.6 miles, Crescent Lake a shade over 0.6 miles, Kelly Lake 1.2 miles, Owen Lake a shade over 1.2 miles and O'Donnell Lake 1.3 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Bass Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 66°F and January at 4°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On Bass Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Long Lake, 0.6 miles away. Treat access at Bass Lake as something to verify.