Fishing at Stem Lake, Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Stem Lake in Cook County, Minnesota. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. It measures about 39 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. Grand Marais lies 22 miles from the water. Further out sit Silver Bay (47 miles) and Ely (51 miles). This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Stem Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Public occurrence data for Cook County names white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Stem Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 63°F, with January the cold end at about 5°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Stem Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Tobacco Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Stem Lake should be assumed from this page alone.