Spruce Island Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Itasca County, Minnesota. It stands 1,368 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 33 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Supplies mean a trip to Cohasset, 14 miles off. It is 153 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. Also within reach: Pothole Lake within 0.2 miles, Doctor Lake roughly 0.4 miles, Forjer Lake within 0.5 miles, Adele Lake roughly 0.6 miles and Oxbow Lake within 0.6 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Spruce Island Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Itasca County cover yellow perch, largemouth bass and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Spruce Island Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 67°F in July and bottoms out near 4°F in January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. At Spruce Island Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Pothole Lake is 0.2 miles off. What applies at Spruce Island Lake may have changed since it was mapped.