Leatherleaf Lake Fishing near Babbitt, Minnesota

• Overview

  Leatherleaf Lake belongs to Lake County, Minnesota. It sits in lake country bush country. This is a pocket water of some 8 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. On size it sits at the modest end of our Lake County list. Babbitt is the closest town at 15 miles. Ely is 16 miles away, with Hoyt Lakes at 28 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Leatherleaf Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Lake County records list white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Leatherleaf Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 64°F at the top of summer and 4°F at the bottom of winter. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Time your trip to Leatherleaf Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. 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. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Baird Lake, 0.3 miles out. Confirm before you fish Leatherleaf Lake.