Fishing Franklin Lake in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Saint Louis County entry here is Franklin Lake, in Minnesota. The surroundings are rolling bush. It measures about 149 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 2.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. For supplies, International Falls is 42 miles out. After that come Fort Frances at 42 miles and Ely at 44 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Franklin Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Franklin Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 65°F in July and bottom out at 5°F in January. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Franklin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Pot Hole Lake sits 2.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Franklin Lake as something to verify.