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

• Overview

  Set in Lake County, Minnesota, this is Whist Lake. Height above sea level is 1,552 feet. It covers about 12 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our Lake County list holds plenty of bigger water. Ely at 33 miles is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Thunder Bay is 92 miles off. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Whist Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Lake County include white sucker, yellow perch and northern pike. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Read Whist Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 4°F for January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It sets the rhythm of the year at Whist Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Strup Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Whist Lake locally before you travel.