Shay Lake in Polk County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Polk County in Minnesota is where Shay Lake sits. The surface lies 1,263 feet up. With some 28 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 1.1 miles on foot. The town to know is Fosston, 9.1 miles out. Then Bagley, 21 miles, and Red Lake Falls, 26 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Shay Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Polk County cover yellow perch, brown bullhead and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Shay Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 3°F to 68°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. At Shay Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Store Lake is 0.7 miles distant. Confirm before you fish Shay Lake.