Fran Lake Fishing in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Within Lake County, Minnesota, you have Fran Lake. It stands 1,604 feet above sea level. At 21 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It sits higher than most water we list in Minnesota. Babbitt is the closest town at 12 miles. It is 122 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Fran Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Lake County include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Read Fran Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 65°F and January about 3°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan around that when you fish Fran Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Chow Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Fran Lake as something to verify.