Lost Lake in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lost Lake is one of the Lake County waters in Minnesota. The surface lies 1,706 feet up. The water covers some 81 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 1.8 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It is high ground by Minnesota standards. Supplies mean a trip to Grand Marais, 32 miles off. Further out sit Silver Bay (32 miles) and Ely (41 miles). This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lost Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Lake County, recorded fish include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lost Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 5°F in January up to 64°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Lost Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Frear Lake, 1 mile away. None of that is settled for Lost Lake in what we hold.