Little Johnson Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Saint Louis County end of Minnesota holds Little Johnson Lake. The bank is 1,152 feet above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 561 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The shoreline runs about 6.6 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. On our Saint Louis County list it sits near the top for size. For supplies, International Falls is 37 miles out. Thunder Bay sits 157 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Little Johnson Lake

  The basin has been measured to about 31 feet. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Saint Louis County: yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Little Johnson Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 66°F, the coldest about 4°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Little Johnson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Spring Lake, 2.1 miles out. Treat access at Little Johnson Lake as something to verify.