Cutaway Lake Fishing near Coleraine, Minnesota

• Overview

  Itasca County, Minnesota, is where Cutaway Lake sits. What surrounds it is pine and birch. It measures some 303 acres, and wind has room to build across it. With 4.0 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It ranks high for size among our Itasca County listings. Coleraine is the closest place, 14 miles off. After that come Cohasset at 18 miles and Grand Rapids at 18 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Cutaway Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Public occurrence data for Itasca County names yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Cutaway Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 66°F at the top of summer and 5°F at the bottom of winter. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. On average, mid April opens the water and late November closes it again. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Cutaway Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Hendrichs Lake, 0.7 miles away. For Cutaway Lake in particular, ask before you travel.