Fishing at Holy Lake, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Holy Lake stands in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. It measures about 77 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 2.4 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The nearest place of any size is Ely, 11 miles away. Babbitt lies 25 miles off, Hoyt Lakes another 40 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Holy Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Holy Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 2°F at the bottom of winter. 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. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Holy Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Hopkins Lake is 0.5 miles off. Rules at Holy Lake are worth checking on the day.