Little O'Brien Lake Fishing near Keewatin, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Little O'Brien Lake belongs to Itasca County. It stands 1,358 feet above sea level. The water covers some 191 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 1.8 miles of margin, front to back. Few waters listed in Itasca County are bigger. The nearest place of any size is Keewatin, 6.3 miles away. Minneapolis is the closest city, 162 miles away. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Little O'Brien Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. 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. Records held for Itasca County cover yellow perch, largemouth bass and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Little O'Brien Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 66°F on average, January about 5°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Little O'Brien Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. O'Brien Lake at 1.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Little O'Brien Lake for certain.