Fishing at Three Island Lake, Beltrami County, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Three Island Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. About 757 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Size puts it in the front rank of our Beltrami County list. 10 miles away sits Bemidji, the nearest town. Fargo is the closest city, 106 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Three Island Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Beltrami County: walleye, yellow perch, northern pike and largemouth bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of Three Island Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 67°F in July and bottoms out near 3°F in January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about mid April to mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Three Island Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Beltrami Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Three Island Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.