Fishing Flame Lake in Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Flame Lake sits in Cook County, out in Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,785 feet. It runs to roughly 51 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.2 miles in total. It is high ground by Minnesota standards. The closest town, Grand Marais, is 25 miles away. Thunder Bay sits 81 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Flame Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Cook County: white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Flame Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 63°F, the coldest about 5°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Flame Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Burnt Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Flame Lake should be assumed from this page alone.