Hunch Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Hunch Lake falls inside Saint Louis County. It sits at 1,460 feet above sea level. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Saint Louis County list. Ely lies 9.4 miles from the water. After that come Babbitt at 22 miles and Hoyt Lakes at 37 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Hunch Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Saint Louis County cover yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Hunch Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 65°F, the coldest about 2°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Hunch Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, First Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Rules at Hunch Lake are worth checking on the day.