Fishing at Ferret Lake, Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Cook County, Minnesota, is where Ferret Lake sits. The surface lies 1,759 feet up. At roughly 12 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Cook County. Grand Marais is the closest place, 26 miles off. Then Ely, 52 miles, and Silver Bay, 55 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Ferret Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Cook County records list white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Ferret Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 4°F in January to roughly 63°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Time your trip to Ferret Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. There are toilets half a mile off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Fun Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Ferret Lake.