Bootleg Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Bootleg Lake lies in Beltrami County, Minnesota. The water sits 1,339 feet up. At 251 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The edge covers about 3.2 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. Size puts it in the front rank of our Beltrami County list. The nearest town is Bemidji, 6 miles away. Fargo sits 93 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Bootleg Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name walleye, yellow perch and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Bootleg Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 4°F and July at about 67°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and mid November closes it again. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That shapes the year on Bootleg Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. You can camp about 0.9 miles away, going by the mapping. 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. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Apple Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. For Bootleg Lake in particular, ask before you travel.