Island Lake Fishing in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Island Lake in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. Land around it is rolling bush. At 269 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. With 3.7 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Size puts it in the front rank of our Saint Louis County list. Supplies mean a trip to Keewatin, 12 miles off. The big place round here is Minneapolis, 155 miles distant. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake

  Published depth figures reach 69 feet at the lowest point. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Saint Louis County cover yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Island Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 6°F in January to roughly 66°F in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. That shapes the year on Island Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Merrill Lake, 0.6 miles out. Confirm before you fish Island Lake.