Famine Lake in Cook County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Famine Lake, in Cook County. What surrounds it is mixed forest. Roughly 29 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 0.9 miles in total. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Minnesota listings. Grand Marais sits 23 miles from the bank. Beyond it, Silver Bay at 53 miles and Ely at 53 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Famine Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Famine Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 5°F to 63°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It holds true on Famine Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Poverty Lake, 0.4 miles away. Confirm access to Famine Lake locally before you travel.