Burns Lake Fishing near Bemidji, Minnesota

• Overview

  Beltrami County, Minnesota, is where Burns Lake sits. It sits at 1,299 feet above sea level. The water covers some 155 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 2.1 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The nearest place of any size is Bemidji, 22 miles away. Further out sit Redby (36 miles) and Red Lake (39 miles). A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Burns Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Beltrami County include walleye, yellow perch and northern pike. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Burns Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 67°F and January at 4°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Burns Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Towe Lake, 0.7 miles away. Confirm before you fish Burns Lake.