Bear Lake Fishing in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Bear Lake is a Saint Louis County water, Minnesota side. The land about it is mixed forest. With some 30 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The nearest place of any size is Eveleth, 20 miles away. It is 162 miles to Minneapolis, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Saint Louis County names yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Bear Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 65°F; the cold one sits at 4°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Bear Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Washusk Lake Number Three at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Bear Lake is worth confirming on the day.