Side Lake Fishing near Cloquet, Minnesota

• Overview

  Side Lake stands in Carlton County, Minnesota. It stands 1,276 feet above sea level. At roughly 24 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. For supplies, Cloquet is 9.6 miles out. For a city, Minneapolis is 128 miles off. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water. If you have heard of anything round here it will be Kettle Lake, 12 miles off.

• Where to Fish on Side Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Carlton County records list bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie and largemouth bass among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Side Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 66°F; the cold one sits at 7°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Side Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Lost Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Check the position on Side Lake before loading the car.