Fishing Little Coon Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Little Coon Lake lies in Itasca County, Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,381 feet. It measures about 74 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 1.6 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Keewatin is the closest place, 28 miles off. Fargo sits 169 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Little Coon Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Itasca County, recorded fish include yellow perch, largemouth bass and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Little Coon Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 4°F to 66°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Little Coon Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Coon Lake at 0.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Little Coon Lake are worth checking on the day.