Fishing Squint Lake in Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Squint Lake stands in Cook County, Minnesota. It stands 1,864 feet above sea level. At 17 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. Some 21 miles away sits Grand Marais, the nearest settlement. Neebing lies 49 miles off, Parkdale another 58 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Squint Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Squint Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 63°F and January about 4°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Squint Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. You can launch: the ramp is half a mile away. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. Look for a notice board at the entrance. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Lace Lake, 0.3 miles away. Nothing on Squint Lake should be assumed from this page alone.