Cedar Island Lake near Aurora: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Saint Louis County end of Minnesota holds Cedar Island Lake. What surrounds it is mixed forest. The water covers some 151 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Nearest town is Aurora, 5.5 miles off. Gilbert is 5.7 miles and Virginia 9.1 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications. The approach is plain, and a car park is not always part of it.

• Where to Fish on Cedar Island Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Saint Louis County records list yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Treat Cedar Island Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 4°F and July at about 66°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It holds true on Cedar Island Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Black Lake, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Cedar Island Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.