Holiday Lake in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Lake County, Holiday Lake is a Minnesota water. It lies 1,483 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 30 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Ely sits 18 miles from the bank. Then Babbitt, 25 miles, and Hoyt Lakes, 40 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Holiday Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Lake County include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Holiday Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 4°F in January to roughly 65°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Holiday Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Spinnan Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Holiday Lake before loading the car.