Fishing Dale Lake in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Dale Lake lies in Saint Louis County, in Minnesota. The bank is 1,506 feet above sea level. At roughly 7 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Saint Louis County. Supplies mean a trip to Two Harbors, 16 miles off. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 150 miles away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Dale Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Saint Louis County: yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Dale Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 5°F at the bottom of winter. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Dale Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Valley Lake, 1.1 miles out. Nothing on Dale Lake should be assumed from this page alone.