Fishing at Lake Jeanette, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Saint Louis County, Lake Jeanette is a Minnesota water. It lies 1,345 feet above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 606 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The perimeter runs near 7.1 miles, so plan the walk before you start. On our Saint Louis County list it sits near the top for size. Ely at 25 miles is the nearest place to stop. Thunder Bay sits 141 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lake Jeanette

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Lake Jeanette the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 3°F in January to roughly 65°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Lake Jeanette runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Nigh Lake is 1.7 miles distant. Confirm access to Lake Jeanette locally before you travel.