Fishing at Mulligan Lake, Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Mulligan Lake is set in Cook County, Minnesota. Height above sea level is 1,919 feet. The water covers some 25 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. It sits higher than most water we list in Minnesota. Grand Marais lies 21 miles from the water. For a city, Thunder Bay is 71 miles off. Nearby, in order: Lily Lake just 0.4 miles, Grassy Lake 0.7 miles off, Cliff Lake just 1.2 miles, Wanihigan Lake 1.4 miles off and Bannick Lake just 1.6 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Mulligan Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Cook County include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Mulligan Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 5°F to 63°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. That shapes the year on Mulligan Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There are toilets half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Lily Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Mulligan Lake locally before you travel.