Little Sand Lake Fishing near Mountain Iron, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Little Sand Lake in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. Roughly 86 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Around 1.8 miles of margin, front to back. For supplies, Mountain Iron is 9.1 miles out. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 165 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Little Sand Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Work Little Sand Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 66°F, while January sits near 4°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Little Sand Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Belmont Lake at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Little Sand Lake before loading the car.