Dry Lake Fishing in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Dry Lake sits within Saint Louis County in Minnesota. The surroundings are rolling bush. Around 83 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Shoreline comes to about 1.4 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, Ely, is 3.9 miles away. It is 124 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Dry Lake

  Recorded soundings reach about 50 feet at the deepest point. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Saint Louis County list yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Treat Dry Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 3°F in January to roughly 65°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It sets the rhythm of the year at Dry Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Little Dry Lake at 0.3 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish Dry Lake.