Taylor Lake in Aitkin County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Taylor Lake lies within the bounds of Aitkin County, Minnesota. Everything around it is lake country bush. It runs to roughly 53 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.1 miles in total. The closest town, Grand Rapids, is 17 miles distant. Minneapolis is the closest city, 140 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Taylor Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Aitkin County cover northern pike, bluegill and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Taylor Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 5°F to 67°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Anyone fishing Taylor Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Smith Lake, 1.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Taylor Lake before loading the car.