Goodman Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Goodman Lake is set in Itasca County, Minnesota. Around the bank it is pine and birch. The water measures roughly 15 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Most waters listed here for Itasca County are larger. For a base, Cohasset sits 28 miles out. Coleraine is 31 miles away, with Grand Rapids at 32 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Goodman Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Itasca County cover yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Goodman Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 4°F in January and 66°F in July. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan around that when you fish Goodman Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Little Peterson Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Goodman Lake before loading the car.