Lee Lake in Polk County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Lee Lake in Polk County, Minnesota. The land about it is rolling bush. Around 59 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Shoreline comes to about 1.4 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Fosston lies 2.2 miles from the water. Beyond it, Bagley at 15 miles and Mahnomen at 22 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lee Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Polk County include yellow perch, brown bullhead, white sucker, northern pike and black bullhead. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Lee Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 68°F on average, January about 3°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Time your trip to Lee Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Soillie Enterprises WPA runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Haslie Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Lee Lake as something to verify.