Elm Lake Fishing in Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Elm Lake falls in Itasca County, part of Minnesota. Height above sea level is 1,352 feet. With some 25 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The nearest town is Cohasset, 30 miles away. Beyond it, Coleraine at 32 miles and Grand Rapids at 33 miles. Nearby, in order: Little Round Lake 0.4 miles off, Long Lake 0.7 miles away, Park Lake 1.1 miles off, Big Rose Lake 1.2 miles away and Little Rose Lake 1.3 miles off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Elm Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name yellow perch, largemouth bass and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The near bank of Elm Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 66°F in July and bottom out at 4°F in January. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Elm Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Little Round Lake, 0.4 miles away. Nothing on Elm Lake should be assumed from this page alone.