Squish Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Cook County entry here is Squish Lake, in Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. About 2 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Most waters listed here for Cook County are larger. Some 29 miles away sits Grand Marais, the nearest settlement. For a city, Thunder Bay is 79 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Squish Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Cook County cover white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. The county list is broader than any single water. Squish Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 5°F in January to roughly 63°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Squish Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Fur Lake is 0.4 miles off. Check the position at Squish Lake before loading the car.