Cross River Lake in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Cross River Lake is one of the Lake County waters in Minnesota. It lies 1,650 feet above sea level. The water covers some 83 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. Some 29 miles away sits Silver Bay, the nearest settlement. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 95 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Cross River Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Lake County include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Cross River Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 64°F and January about 5°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Cross River Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is South Wigwam Lake, 0.7 miles out. Rules at Cross River Lake are worth checking on the day.