Tern Lake in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Tern Lake in Lake County, Minnesota. This is lake country bush ground. With some 29 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Head to Grand Marais, 39 miles away, for anything you forgot. After that come Ely at 43 miles and Babbitt at 52 miles. Close by you also have: Flap Lake within 0.3 miles, 0.5 miles away is Rog Lake, Ray Lake within 0.7 miles, 0.9 miles away is Alpine Lake and Cavity Lake within 1 mile. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Tern Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Lake County records list white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Tern Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 65°F; the cold one sits at 5°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan any trip to Tern Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. A campsite is mapped about half a mile away, which makes an early start easier. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Flap Lake, 0.3 miles away. Treat Tern Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.