Franklin Lake Fishing Guide, Koochiching County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Koochiching County, Minnesota, sits Franklin Lake. The surface lies 1,352 feet up. Roughly 107 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The full circuit measures close to 1.6 miles on foot. Head to Chisholm, 35 miles away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 178 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Franklin Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Koochiching County cover yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass and bluegill. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Anyone new to Franklin Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 66°F for July and 5°F for January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Franklin Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Pocquette Lake at 0.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Franklin Lake locally before you travel.