Vernon Lake Fishing Guide, Cook County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Vernon Lake lies in Cook County, in Minnesota. It lies 1,752 feet above sea level. Around 241 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The margin runs to about 5.4 miles in total. On our Cook County list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Grand Marais, is 17 miles distant. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 68 miles distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Vernon Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Cook County include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. The county list is broader than any single water. On Vernon Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 5°F in January to roughly 63°F in July. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Vernon Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Bull Lake is 1.4 miles distant. Check the position on Vernon Lake before loading the car.