Fishing at Virgin Lake, Itasca County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Virgin Lake is listed under Itasca County, Minnesota. The surface lies 1,332 feet up. It runs to roughly 61 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.2 miles in total. Supplies mean a trip to Bemidji, 33 miles off. For a city, Fargo is 132 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Virgin Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Itasca County: yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Virgin Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 66°F and January at 4°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Virgin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Lower Twin Lakes is 1.3 miles off. Confirm before you fish Virgin Lake.