Ott Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Ott Lake is a Cook County water, Minnesota side. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. At roughly 8 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Cook County list. Grand Marais sits 20 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Beyond it, Neebing at 56 miles and Silver Bay at 56 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Ott Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. 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 Cook County include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Work Ott Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 63°F, the coldest about 5°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Ott Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. 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. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Tremble Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Ott Lake.