Fishing George Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Itasca County, George Lake is a Minnesota water. It lies 1,352 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 11 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Itasca County standards. 18 miles away sits Coleraine, the nearest town. Fargo sits 163 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on George Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Itasca County cover yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On George Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 5°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish George Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Little Porky Lake, 0.3 miles out. None of that is settled for George Lake in what we hold.