Fishing Jim Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Jim Lake lies within the bounds of Crow Wing County, Minnesota. It lies 1,263 feet above sea level. At roughly 22 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Crow Wing County list. 3.7 miles away sits Crosby, the nearest town. Minneapolis sits 107 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Jim Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Jim Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 69°F and January near 7°F on the long-run figures. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Anyone fishing Jim Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Erickson Lake is 0.4 miles off. Where Jim Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.