Totem Lake Fishing in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Totem Lake is one of the Lake County listings for Minnesota. The bank is 1,440 feet above sea level. About 16 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Our Lake County list holds plenty of bigger water. Supplies mean a trip to Ely, 41 miles off. It is 85 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Totem Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Lake County: white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. The county list is broader than any single water. On Totem Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 4°F in January up to 65°F in July. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Totem Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. 1 covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Link Lake sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Totem Lake before loading the car.