Canton Lake Fishing near Little Falls, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Morrison County, Minnesota, this is Canton Lake. The surface lies 1,325 feet up. Small at around 20 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Little Falls at 17 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Minneapolis, 104 miles away. Close by you also have: Millers Lake just 0.4 miles, Longs Lake roughly 0.9 miles, Lake Madaline just 1.8 miles, Lagerquist Lake roughly 2.2 miles and Overlook Lake just 2.5 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Canton Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, black crappie and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Canton Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 69°F and January near 8°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Canton Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Millers Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Canton Lake in what we hold.