Fishing at Big Moose Lake, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Big Moose Lake is one of the Saint Louis County waters in Minnesota. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. It measures some 1,016 acres, and wind has room to build across it. Shoreline length is close to 6.9 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Size puts it in the front rank of our Saint Louis County list. Supplies mean a trip to Ely, 14 miles off. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 132 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Big Moose Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Saint Louis County records list yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Big Moose Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 2°F in January up to 65°F in July. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. On average, late April opens the water and mid November closes it again. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Big Moose Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There are toilets half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Duck Lake, 2.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Big Moose Lake locally before you travel.