Fishing Chaco Lake in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Chaco Lake in the Lake County part of Minnesota. This is mixed forest ground. This is a pocket water of some 13 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Lake County are larger. Ely lies 42 miles from the water. After that come Grand Marais at 44 miles and Atikokan at 48 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Chaco Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Chaco Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 4°F in January to roughly 64°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Chaco Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Ashdick Lake at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Chaco Lake as something to verify.