Dishpan Lake Fishing near Redby, Minnesota

• Overview

  Dishpan Lake is set in Itasca County, Minnesota. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. With some 42 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The edge runs 1.9 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The closest town, Redby, is 38 miles distant. It is 140 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Dishpan Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. County-wide records name yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Dishpan Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 4°F in January up to 66°F in July. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That is the shape of the year on Dishpan Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Dishpan Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Dishpan Lake.