Fishing Loon Lake in Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Loon Lake in the Cook County part of Minnesota. Elevation runs to 1,736 feet. Surface area runs to roughly 1,096 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. You are looking at roughly 13 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Size puts it in the front rank of our Cook County list. The nearest place of any size is Grand Marais, 28 miles away. After that come Ely at 56 miles and Neebing at 59 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Loon Lake

  Published depth figures reach 245 feet at the lowest point. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Cook County: white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Anyone new to Loon Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 63°F and January at 4°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Loon Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Tucker Lake sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. For Loon Lake in particular, ask before you travel.