Fishing at Small Lake, Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Small Lake in Lake County, Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. Surface area runs to about 20 acres — small enough to read in one session. Nearest town is Ely, 31 miles off. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 101 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water. The near end sees the visitors; the far end rarely does.

• Where to Fish on Small Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Small Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 64°F on average, January about 5°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Small Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Comfort Lake at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Small Lake is worth confirming on the day.