Meat Lake Fishing near Ely, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Saint Louis County, Meat Lake is a Minnesota water. This is lake country bush ground. Surface area runs to about 20 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Saint Louis County list. Ely is the closest place, 11 miles off. For a city, Thunder Bay is 135 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Meat Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Saint Louis County, recorded fish include yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker, rainbow trout and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Meat Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 65°F, with January the cold end at about 2°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Meat Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows a campsite some 160 yards from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Sprite Lake at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Meat Lake locally before you travel.