Fishing at Rally Lake, Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lake County in Minnesota is where Rally Lake sits. It lies 1,755 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 13 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Lake County list. Grand Marais is the closest place, 35 miles off. Ely is 47 miles and Babbitt 56 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Rally Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Lake County cover white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The near bank of Rally Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 65°F in July and bottoms out near 5°F in January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Rally Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Squat Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Check the position on Rally Lake before loading the car.