Fishing at Jack Lake, Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Cook County, Minnesota, this is Jack Lake. The water sits 1,752 feet up. Surface area is around 121 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The perimeter runs near 4.1 miles, so plan the walk before you start. On our Cook County list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to Grand Marais, 24 miles off. For a city, Thunder Bay is 79 miles off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Jack Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Jack Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 63°F and January near 5°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It holds true on Jack Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. 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. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Weird Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Jack Lake before loading the car.