Benson Lake Fishing in Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Benson Lake lies in Cook County, Minnesota. The bank is 1,627 feet above sea level. At about 29 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. Nearest town is Grand Marais, 8 miles off. Further out sit Neebing (44 miles) and Westfort (57 miles). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Benson Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Cook County: white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Benson Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 63°F and January about 6°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Benson Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Kimball Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Benson Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.