Surprise Lake Fishing in Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Itasca County, Minnesota, is where Surprise Lake sits. It sits at 1,378 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 10 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Itasca County list. Supplies mean a trip to Cohasset, 14 miles off. Fargo is the closest city, 153 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Surprise Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Itasca County names yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. The county list is broader than any single water. At Surprise Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 4°F to 67°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It holds true on Surprise Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Kremer Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Surprise Lake.