Fishing Benning Lake in Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Benning Lake sits within Cook County in Minnesota. The bank is 1,847 feet above sea level. It covers about 15 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. Start from Grand Marais, 26 miles down the road. It is 68 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Benning Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Cook County include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Anyone new to Benning Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 63°F and January about 4°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Benning Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Little Iron Lake at 0.3 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Benning Lake in what we hold.