Fishing at First Lake, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Saint Louis County, First Lake is a Minnesota water. The setting is mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 16 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Saint Louis County standards. Nearest place of any size is Ely, 8.5 miles away. Further out sit Babbitt (22 miles) and Hoyt Lakes (36 miles). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on First Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Saint Louis County cover yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of First Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 65°F and January at 2°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running late April to mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on First Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Parking is not close: 0.9 miles from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Regenbogen Lake at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on First Lake before loading the car.