Fishing at Lake Four, Aitkin County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lake Four is listed under Aitkin County, Minnesota. What surrounds it is mixed forest. The water covers some 131 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Shoreline comes to about 1.7 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The nearest town is Aitkin, 4.6 miles away. Crosby follows at 16 miles, then Vineland at 24 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lake Four

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Aitkin County, recorded fish include northern pike, bluegill and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. At Lake Four the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 68°F and January at 6°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Lake Four fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Nord Lake, 1.1 miles away. Treat Lake Four as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.