Swan Lake Fishing near Keewatin, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Swan Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Land around it is rolling bush. At 3.8 sq miles this is proper open water rather than a pond. At about 17 miles of edge, most people fish a single area and learn it well. It ranks high for size among our Itasca County listings. You are 8.6 miles from Keewatin. For a city, Minneapolis is 160 miles off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Swan Lake

  Recorded soundings reach about 74 feet at the deepest point. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Swan Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 67°F, the coldest about 5°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Swan Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Little O'Brien Lake is 2.4 miles off. Signs at Swan Lake carry more weight than any list.