Little Trout Lake Fishing in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Little Trout Lake falls inside Saint Louis County. This is pine and birch ground. About 256 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. You are looking at roughly 3.7 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. It is among the larger waters listed here for Saint Louis County. For a base, Fort Frances sits 43 miles out. International Falls lies 43 miles off, Ely another 46 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Little Trout Lake

  Measured depth reaches about 109 feet at the deepest point. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Saint Louis County cover yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Little Trout Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 4°F to 66°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It sets the rhythm of the year at Little Trout Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, O'Leary Lake is 1.4 miles off. Ask locally about Little Trout Lake if anything is unclear.