Ferne Lake Fishing Guide, Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Ferne Lake is listed under Lake County, Minnesota. It sits in lake country bush. With some 138 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. There is roughly 2.0 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. It sits higher than most water we list in Minnesota. The closest town, Ely, is 31 miles distant. Babbitt is 35 miles away, with Silver Bay at 37 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ferne Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Lake County cover white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Ferne Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 5°F to 64°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Ferne Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. 2 covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Powwow Lake at 1.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Ferne Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.