Fishing at Hogstrom Lake, Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Hogstrom Lake belongs to Lake County. Height above sea level is 1,759 feet. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Lake County list holds plenty of bigger water. Nearest place of any size is Babbitt, 23 miles away. Ely follows at 26 miles, then Silver Bay at 27 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Hogstrom Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Lake County: white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Hogstrom Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 64°F and January at 4°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It holds true on Hogstrom Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Steamhaul Lake is 0.3 miles distant. Treat Hogstrom Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.