Fishing at Little Island Lake, Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Little Island Lake is set in Itasca County, Minnesota. It sits in pine and birch country. With some 105 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 1.7 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The town to know is Keewatin, 9.4 miles out. Then Hibbing, 13 miles, and Coleraine, 17 miles. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Little Island Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Itasca County records list yellow perch, largemouth bass and northern pike among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Little Island Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 6°F in January up to 66°F in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Little Island Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. 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. Bengal Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. For Little Island Lake in particular, ask before you travel.