Moose Lake Fishing in Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Moose Lake lies in Itasca County, in Minnesota. The country here is pine and birch. It measures about 161 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is roughly 1.9 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Size puts it in the front rank of our Itasca County list. The town to know is Coleraine, 11 miles out. The big place round here is Fargo, 167 miles distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Moose Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Public occurrence data for Itasca County names yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Moose Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 66°F, the coldest about 5°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Moose Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. 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. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Fourth Sucker Lake sits 1 mile off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Moose Lake before loading the car.