Lake One in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Lake One in Lake County, Minnesota. It stands 1,463 feet above sea level. At some 888 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 15 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Few waters listed in Lake County are bigger. Ely lies 18 miles from the water. After that come Babbitt at 26 miles and Hoyt Lakes at 41 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lake One

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Reported across Lake County: white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Lake One gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 65°F on average, January about 4°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Lake One follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Rock Island Lake sits 1.5 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Lake One may have changed since it was mapped.