Fishing at Butterfly Lake, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Butterfly Lake falls inside Saint Louis County. The ground round it is pine and birch. At roughly 6 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Our Saint Louis County list holds plenty of bigger water. Some 0.4 miles away sits Babbitt, the nearest settlement. For a city, Thunder Bay is 133 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Butterfly Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Butterfly Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 65°F and January near 2°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Butterfly Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. There are toilets half a mile off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Beaver Pond, 0.9 miles away. Confirm before you fish Butterfly Lake.