Fishing at Bass Lake, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Bass Lake, in Saint Louis County. The bank gives way to mixed forest. At about 164 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 2.7 miles keeps the choices simple. Ely at 4 miles is the nearest place to stop. After that come Babbitt at 18 miles and Hoyt Lakes at 33 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Bass Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 65°F, the coldest about 3°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Bass Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Dry Lake, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Bass Lake if anything is unclear.