Island Lake Fishing in Carlton County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Carlton County, Minnesota, this is Island Lake. The water sits 1,063 feet up. About 513 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. It is among the larger waters listed here for Carlton County. Some 3.4 miles away sits Moose Lake, the nearest settlement. Minneapolis sits 102 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Carlton County include bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie, largemouth bass and northern pike. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Island Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 68°F, while January sits near 8°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Time your trip to Island Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Little Island Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Nothing on Island Lake should be assumed from this page alone.