Fishing at Snoosebox Lake, Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, sits Snoosebox Lake. Everything around it is pine and birch. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Crow Wing County. The closest town, Crosby, is 4.5 miles away. It is 107 miles to Minneapolis, the nearest city. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Snoosebox Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Snoosebox Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 7°F and July at about 69°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Snoosebox Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. 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. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Erickson Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Snoosebox Lake before loading the car.