Fishing at Dix Lake, Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Dix Lake lies in Lake County, Minnesota. The land about it is mixed forest. Surface area is around 103 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 2.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Ely lies 31 miles from the water. It is 94 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Dix Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Lake County records list white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout among the fish reported. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Dix Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 65°F in July and bottoms out near 4°F in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan any trip to Dix Lake around it.

• 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 a campsite half a mile from the water. The water borders 6, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Kettle Lake, 0.5 miles away. Where Dix Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.