Capote Lake in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Capote Lake falls in Lake County, part of Minnesota. The ground around here is rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 18 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It sits higher than most water we list in Minnesota. For a base, Ely sits 35 miles out. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 90 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Capote Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Lake County include white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The near bank of Capote Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 64°F; by January the average is down near 4°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Capote Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Mugwump Lake, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Capote Lake as something to verify.