Fishing Grassy Lake in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  This water sits in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. Lake country bush runs right down to the water. It runs to roughly 245 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline length is close to 4.0 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. It ranks high for size among our Saint Louis County listings. The closest town, Ely, is 6.7 miles away. Beyond it, Babbitt at 21 miles and Hoyt Lakes at 36 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Grassy Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Saint Louis County cover yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Grassy Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 65°F, the coldest about 2°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around late April to about mid November in an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Grassy Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Overnight stays are possible 160 yards away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Tee Lake is 0.9 miles off. For Grassy Lake in particular, ask before you travel.