Kroft Lake in Cook County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Kroft Lake, in Cook County. It lies 1,896 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 22 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Minnesota listings. For a base, Grand Marais sits 16 miles out. For a city, Thunder Bay is 63 miles off. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Kroft Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Cook County cover white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Kroft Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 63°F in July and bottom out at 5°F in January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Kroft Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. The nearest car park we can see is 0.9 miles out, so expect a walk with your gear. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Ram Lake, 0.5 miles away. Check the position on Kroft Lake before loading the car.