Fishing Moose Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Itasca County end of Minnesota holds Moose Lake. Everything around it is lake country bush. The water covers some 67 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 1.4 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Keewatin sits 15 miles from the bank. Fargo sits 168 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Moose Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Itasca County: yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Moose Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 5°F in January and 66°F in July. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Moose Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Rahkos Lake at 1.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Moose Lake locally before you travel.