Little Lake Fishing near Gilbert, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Little Lake in the Saint Louis County part of Minnesota. It lies 1,355 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 12 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Saint Louis County are larger. For a base, Gilbert sits 12 miles out. For a city, Thunder Bay is 160 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Saint Louis County cover yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Little Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 4°F in January to roughly 65°F in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan any trip to Little Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. 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. For a change of water, Section Fourteen Lake is 0.9 miles distant. The position on Little Lake is worth confirming on the day.