Fishing Gillis Lake in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Gillis Lake in Lake County, Minnesota. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. The water covers around 615 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Around 7.2 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. It is among the larger waters listed here for Lake County. Nearest town is Grand Marais, 35 miles off. Beyond it, Ely at 45 miles and Babbitt at 53 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Gillis Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Lake County records list white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Gillis Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 64°F and January near 4°F on the long-run figures. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. On Gillis Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Fishgig Lake sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Gillis Lake should be assumed from this page alone.