Potshot Lake Fishing in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  This water sits in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. Around the bank it is lake country bush. It runs to roughly 28 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. 30 miles away sits Cloquet, the nearest town. After that come Coleraine at 31 miles and Keewatin at 32 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Potshot Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The near bank of Potshot Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 6°F in January up to 67°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan around that when you fish Potshot Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Leeman Lake sits 8.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Potshot Lake.