Cad Lake in Itasca County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Cad Lake belongs to Itasca County, Minnesota. It sits at 1,398 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 18 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Itasca County list. The nearest place of any size is Coleraine, 25 miles away. Fargo sits 158 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Cad Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Itasca County include yellow perch, largemouth bass and northern pike. The county list is broader than any single water. On Cad Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 67°F and January near 4°F on the long-run figures. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Cad Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Burns Lake is 0.5 miles distant. The position on Cad Lake is worth confirming on the day.