Spring Lake Fishing, S of Coleraine, Minnesota

• Overview

  Spring Lake is one of the Itasca County waters in Minnesota. It sits in pine and birch. About 22 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest town is Coleraine, 16 miles off. For a city, Fargo is 162 miles off. Within a short run: Wilson Lake a shade over 0.5 miles, Scrapper Lake 0.9 miles, Moss Lake a shade over 1.2 miles, Bog Lake 1.2 miles and Cutaway Lake a shade over 1.2 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Spring Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Itasca County: yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Spring Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 5°F and July at about 67°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It holds true on Spring Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Wilson Lake, 0.5 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Spring Lake for certain.