Charley Lake Fishing near North Oaks, Minnesota

• Overview

  Charley Lake belongs to Ramsey County, Minnesota. Elevation runs to 883 feet. The water covers some 31 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Ground here is low by Minnesota standards. North Oaks is the closest town at 2 miles. For a city, Saint Paul is 11 miles off. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Charley Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Ramsey County include bluegill, common carp, black crappie, largemouth bass and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Charley Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 72°F; the cold one sits at 12°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. On Charley Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. 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. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Turtle Lake, 0.9 miles out. For Charley Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.