Caribou Lake in Cook County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Caribou Lake belongs to Cook County. The setting is lake country bush. At 716 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. It ranks high for size among our Cook County listings. For supplies, Grand Marais is 16 miles out. Then Silver Bay, 40 miles, and Ely, 58 miles. Not far off: Lake Agnes at 0.9 miles, Ward Lake some 1.6 miles off, Bigsby Lake at 2.4 miles, Vat Lake some 3.1 miles off and Deer Yard Lake at 3.2 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Caribou Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Cook County cover white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Caribou Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 64°F and January about 9°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Caribou Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. White Sky sits about half a mile away and carries the launch. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Lake Agnes at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Caribou Lake before loading the car.