Bear Lake Fishing in Carlton County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Carlton County end of Minnesota holds Bear Lake. The water sits 1,066 feet up. It measures about 115 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Bank access stretches around 1.8 miles in total. Moose Lake sits 5 miles from here and is the nearest stop. It is 109 miles to Minneapolis, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Charted depth runs to roughly 35 feet at its lowest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Carlton County records list bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Bear Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 67°F and January at 8°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That is the shape of the year on Bear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Little Hanging Horn Lake is 1 mile off. Confirm before you fish Bear Lake.