Little Lake Fishing near Sandstone, Minnesota

• Overview

  Little Lake lies in Aitkin County, Minnesota. It lies 1,106 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 13 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is a small entry by Aitkin County standards. The town to know is Sandstone, 8.5 miles out. It is 83 miles to Minneapolis, the nearest city. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Little Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Aitkin County, recorded fish include northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie and largemouth bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Little Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 68°F; the cold one sits at 7°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and late November closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Little Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Bass Lake at 1.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Little Lake before loading the car.