Fishing Nipisiquit Lake in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Nipisiquit Lake lies in Lake County, in Minnesota. The bank is 1,237 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 56 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The edge runs 1.3 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. For a base, Silver Bay sits 4.2 miles out. Two Harbors follows at 30 miles, then Babbitt at 41 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Nipisiquit Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Lake County, recorded fish include white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Nipisiquit Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 64°F and January about 10°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Nipisiquit Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Micmac Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Nipisiquit Lake before loading the car.