Phospor Lake near Ely: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Phospor in Lake County. The ground around here is mixed forest. The water covers some 34 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. There is roughly 1.0 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Nearest place of any size is Ely, 18 miles away. Babbitt follows at 23 miles, then Hoyt Lakes at 37 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Phospor Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Lake County cover white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Phospor Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 4°F for January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Phospor Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Superstition Lake is 1.1 miles off. Nothing on Phospor Lake should be assumed from this page alone.