Fishing at Moilan Lake, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Moilan Lake falls inside Saint Louis County. Height above sea level is 1,355 feet. This is a pocket water of some 21 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Saint Louis County. 11 miles away sits Eveleth, the nearest town. Gilbert is 11 miles away, with Virginia at 14 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Moilan Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike and white sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Moilan Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 66°F and January near 4°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Anyone fishing Moilan Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Elliott Lake, 1.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Moilan Lake before loading the car.