High Lake Fishing in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, sits High Lake. This is rolling bush country. About 273 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. You are looking at roughly 5.1 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Few waters listed in Saint Louis County are bigger. The nearest place of any size is Ely, 4.5 miles away. Beyond it, Babbitt at 18 miles and Hoyt Lakes at 33 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on High Lake

  Measured depth reaches about 75 feet at the deepest point. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On High Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 65°F and January about 3°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on High Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Dry Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at High Lake carry more weight than any list.