Jig Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Jig Lake sits within Lake County in Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,647 feet. It covers about 14 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Lake County are larger. For supplies, Grand Marais is 35 miles out. For a city, Thunder Bay is 83 miles off. What else is close: Jam Lake 0.2 miles away, Leaf Lake at 0.5 miles, Mina Lake 0.7 miles away, Ballyhoo Lake at 1.1 miles and Bonita Lake 1.1 miles away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Jig Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Lake County list white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Jig Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 64°F and January at 4°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan around that when you fish Jig Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Jam Lake, 0.2 miles away. Treat access at Jig Lake as something to verify.