Ellquist Lake Fishing Guide, Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Ellquist Lake is one of the Lake County listings for Minnesota. The country here is pine and birch. This is a pocket water of some 13 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Lake County standards. Head to Grand Marais, 38 miles away, for anything you forgot. Ely is 43 miles away, with Babbitt at 52 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Ellquist Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Lake County: white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Anyone new to Ellquist Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 5°F in January up to 65°F in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Ellquist Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Howard Lake is 1 mile off. Treat Ellquist Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.