Kivaniva Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Lake County, Minnesota, this is Kivaniva Lake. The ground round it is mixed forest. Around 45 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The full circuit measures close to 1.5 miles on foot. Ely is the closest place, 36 miles off. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 89 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Kivaniva Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Lake County names white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Kivaniva Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 64°F and January at 4°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It holds true on Kivaniva Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Anit Lake, 0.4 miles away. Check the position at Kivaniva Lake before loading the car.