Fishing Breda Lake in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Saint Louis County in Minnesota is where Breda Lake sits. The setting is rolling bush on every side. At about 126 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The full circuit measures close to 1.6 miles on foot. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. Some 18 miles away sits Hoyt Lakes, the nearest settlement. It is 141 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Breda Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The near bank of Breda Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 64°F and January at 4°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Breda Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Hornby Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Breda Lake is worth confirming on the day.