Lake Polly Fishing in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Lake Polly, in Lake County. The surroundings are lake country bush. It measures some 486 acres, and wind has room to build across it. With 11 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It ranks high for size among our Lake County listings. Ely lies 36 miles from the water. Grand Marais follows at 37 miles, then Babbitt at 42 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lake Polly

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Lake County: white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Treat Lake Polly as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 64°F and January near 5°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. At Lake Polly the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Wolverine Lake, 1.1 miles out. Check the position on Lake Polly before loading the car.