Little Grand Lake in Saint Louis County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Little Grand Lake stands in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. It sits at 1,339 feet above sea level. The water covers some 175 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 2.6 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The nearest town is Hermantown, 9.1 miles away. Minneapolis sits 136 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Little Grand Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Little Grand Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 66°F and January near 6°F on the long-run figures. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Little Grand Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Baby Grand Lake is 0.6 miles distant. For Little Grand Lake in particular, ask before you travel.