Fishing Lum Lake in Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lum Lake falls in Cook County, part of Minnesota. It sits in lake country bush. The water covers some 29 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. Nearest place of any size is Grand Marais, 23 miles away. Beyond it, Neebing at 54 miles and Ely at 60 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lum Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Public occurrence data for Cook County names white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Lum Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 63°F and January reads 4°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice usually gives way near early May, and forms again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Lum Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Misplaced Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Lum Lake is worth confirming on the day.