Midas Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Lake County, Minnesota, sits Midas Lake. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. Surface area runs to about 18 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Ely, is 41 miles away. Further out sit Grand Marais (43 miles) and Atikokan (50 miles). Also on the doorstep: Gift Lake at 0.4 miles, Bullfrog Lake at about 0.4 miles, Fish Lake at 0.6 miles, Cup Lake at about 0.6 miles and Link Lake at 0.7 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Midas Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Lake County, recorded fish include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Midas Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 65°F; by January the average is down near 4°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Midas Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. 3 runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Gift Lake, 0.4 miles away. For Midas Lake in particular, ask before you travel.