Fishing Black Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Black Lake belongs to Aitkin County, Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,253 feet. Surface area runs to about 9 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Aitkin County list. Crosby sits 11 miles from the bank. It is 98 miles to Minneapolis, the nearest city. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Black Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Aitkin County, recorded fish include northern pike, bluegill and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Black Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 69°F on average, January about 7°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Black Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Round-Rice Bed Wildlife Management Area takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Turtle Lake, 0.4 miles away. Rules at Black Lake are worth checking on the day.