Fishing at Little McQuade Lake, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Little McQuade Lake stands in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. It sits at 1,368 feet above sea level. Around 31 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The edge runs 1.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Nearest place of any size is Chisholm, 6.4 miles away. The nearest city of size is Minneapolis, 171 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little McQuade Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Little McQuade Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 66°F in July and bottoms out near 5°F in January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Anyone fishing Little McQuade Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is McQuade Lake, 0.7 miles out. Check the position on Little McQuade Lake before loading the car.