Fishing Little Jay Gould Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Little Jay Gould Lake stands in Itasca County, Minnesota. What surrounds it is rolling bush. With some 147 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Bank access stretches around 2.7 miles in total. Start from Cohasset, 1.5 miles down the road. It is 152 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Little Jay Gould Lake

  Survey data gives a maximum of roughly 64 feet. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Itasca County include yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Little Jay Gould Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for July and 5°F for January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Little Jay Gould Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Jay Gould Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Little Jay Gould Lake.