Gustafson Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Gustafson Lake sits in Saint Louis County, out in Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,368 feet. Surface area is around 59 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 1.3 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Start from Ely, 25 miles down the road. Beyond it, Babbitt at 31 miles and Aurora at 38 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Gustafson Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Saint Louis County records list yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Gustafson Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 3°F to 65°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. The open-water window runs from around late April to about mid November in an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Gustafson Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Saltpork Lake is 1.1 miles off. For Gustafson Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.