Colby Lake in Chisago County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Colby Lake is one of the Chisago County waters in Minnesota. The surface lies 899 feet up. Around 94 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. It is a smooth basin, with the interest below the waterline rather than along it. It lies lower than most water we list in Minnesota. Taylors Falls is the closest place, 1.7 miles off. Saint Croix Falls is 2 miles and Shafer 4.1 miles. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Colby Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Chisago County include largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Colby Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 70°F; by January the average is down near 10°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan around that when you fish Colby Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Wyckstrom Lake at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Colby Lake are worth checking on the day.