Nickolson Lake Fishing in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Nickolson Lake is one of the Saint Louis County waters in Minnesota. The country here is pine and birch. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Saint Louis County are larger. The town to know is Ely, 10 miles out. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 135 miles distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Nickolson Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Nickolson Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 65°F and January reads 2°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Nickolson Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Clear Lake, 1.1 miles out. Signs at Nickolson Lake carry more weight than any list.