Pokegama Creek in Pine County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Pokegama Creek sits within Pine County in Minnesota. The bank is 945 feet above sea level. Ground here is low by Minnesota standards. Pine City sits 4.5 miles from the bank. Rock Creek is 8.5 miles away, with Hinckley at 11 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water. It is the kind of place people fish for years without exhausting.

• Where to Fish on Pokegama Creek

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The outside of each bend cuts deepest and holds the better fish. Flow decides everything here: read the seams before you cast. Survey and observation records for Pine County include northern pike, bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie and pumpkinseed. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Take Pokegama Creek a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 8°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Cold months ice the margins and pools; moving water stays workable, and everything opens by mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about 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 Pokegama Creek.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. A campsite is mapped about half a mile away, which makes an early start easier. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Kick Lake, 4.3 miles away. Check the position at Pokegama Creek before loading the car.