Fishing McQuade Lake in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  McQuade Lake is a Saint Louis County water, Minnesota side. The country here is lake country bush. It measures about 172 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Chisholm sits 7.1 miles from the bank. Beyond it, Hibbing at 7.9 miles and Mountain Iron at 10 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on McQuade Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Saint Louis County: yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On McQuade Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 66°F and January near 5°F on the long-run figures. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about late April to mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At McQuade Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Little McQuade Lake is 0.7 miles off. Confirm before you fish McQuade Lake.