Fishing at Ghost Lake, Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Ghost Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. The country here is pine and birch. Around 38 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. You are 22 miles from Coleraine. The big place round here is Fargo, 158 miles distant. Water in the same corner: Little Bass Lake 0.4 miles away, Three Island Lake out at 0.7 miles, Clubhouse Lake 1 mile away, Little Clubhouse Lake out at 1.1 miles and Pine Lake 1.2 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ghost Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Itasca County include yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Ghost Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 4°F and July at about 67°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Expect Ghost Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Boat access is recorded roughly 0.9 miles away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Little Bass Lake is 0.4 miles distant. For Ghost Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.