Our area lakes offer year round recreation, from fishing and water sports in the summer, to ice fishing, snowmobiling and cross country skiing in the winter.
Home to more than 1,000 Grand Lakes, the Grand Rapids area is a fishing mecca for anglers in search of crappie, northerns, walleye, panfish, bass and perch. Fishing season begins just after the early spring warm-up and fishing opener in May, through summer and on to autumn when fish go on a feeding binge in preparation for freeze-up. However, the fishing doesn’t get put on hold with the thickening of lake ice. Some of the area’s finest fishing takes place during the Northwood’s winter season.
Fishing Report: 5-13-13
I went out over opener and was able to find some action on Sand Lake (NW of Grand Rapids), and Cut Foot Sioux area (West of Grand Rapids). The walleyes are still concentrated because the spawning continues, but as water temperatures continue to increase they will scatter and produce more activity. The rivers are warming up quite fast so these waterways are seeing good walleye action already. Walleyes spawn in water temperatures between 42°-46°c. Northern Pike have already scattered; I suggest using trolling shad raps to attract the Northern bite this time of year. Bowstring Lake (NW of Grand Rapids) has been a little slow, but seems to be picking up. The larger area lakes like Lake Winnibigoshish and Deer Lake (both West of Grand Rapids) will be a later spring bite due to water temperature. Caution is to be used because there is still rotting ice on many of the larger lakes in Itasca County. Keep watch of wind direction. The warmer temperatures and rain showers will help to increase fishing activity.
Brian Brosdahl www.brosguideservice.com
Tom Neustrom, Minnesota Fishing Connections
Getting Ready Before the Bell
With a later than normal ice out prediction anglers can concentrate on the little items that it takes to get ready. Strip off your old line from your reels and spool on fresh mono filament or braided line. The cost is very minimal and will give you good performance throughout the season. I like to oil my bail springs and spool shafts with fine gun oil spray. It’s thinner than most oils and will ensure smooth operation throughout the season.
Check the guides and make sure they are not cracked. If they are, cracked guides will fray your line. Take a Q-Tip and run it through the tip and along the inside face of the guides. If there are fibers left on the surface then replace them or purchase a new rod.
If your rods have grime or wear on the handles take steel wool or a soapy pad and clean them. Leave them outside to dry before putting away. These little tips will help to get your tackle ready for the 2013 season. In the next couple weeks we will talk about getting your boat and motor ready as well.
For more information use this site as a guideline: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html.
View Visit Grand Rapids Lakes in a larger map
Bass Lake Information
Acres: 2,407
Max Depth: 76 feet
Clarity: 10.7 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Northern Pike, Walleye, Sunfish, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass
Public Accesses: 2 concrete, 1 earthen
Unique Qualities: Bass Lake has two different basins connected by a two-mile long channel of marsh. The lake is stocked with walleye and has been a good producer of walleyes and bluegills for anglers.
Member Place to Stay on Bass Lake:
Hidden Haven Resort
Wildwood Resort
Bowstring Lake Information
Acres: 9,220
Max Depth: 32 feet
Clarity: 6 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Black Crappie, Walleye, Bullhead, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
Public Accesses: 4 (3 concrete, 1 earthen)
Unique Qualities: Excellent natural fish reproduction, especially for walleye and crappie. Bowstring Lake is a good all-around fishing lake with the sand bars and rock points that provide good structure for fish. Bowstring Lake connects with Sand Lake, another popular fishing lake.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Bowstring Lake: Relatively shallow lakes, like Bowstring, heat and cool quickly so they are at the forefront of fishing peaks in the spring and fall.
Member Place to stay on Bowstring Lake:
Bowstring Shores Resort
Rocky Shores Resort
Caribou Lake Information
Acres: 240
Max Depth: 152 feet
Clarity: 28 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Lake Trout, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass
Public Accesses: 1 gravel
Unique Qualities: Dramatic shoreline elevations and excellent water clarity compliment the fishing experience. Caribou Lake is the clearest natural lake in Minnesota with a 28 foot water clarity.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Caribou Lake:
The largest Kokanee Salmon ever caught in Minnesota was taken from Caribou Lake in 1971. It weighed 2 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 20 inches long.
Caribou Lake has been featured in National Geographic Magazine. Local legend claims there is a house in the bottom of Caribou Lake which broke through the ice during a winter house move across the lake.
Member Place to Stay on Caribou Lake:
Buckhorn Resort on Caribou
Cutfoot Sioux Lake Information
Acres: 2,768
Max Depth: 78 feet
Clarity: 12 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Walleye, Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Tullibee, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass, Bullhead
Public Accesses: 3 concrete, 1 earthen
Unique Qualities: Cutfoot Sioux Lake is a very popular walleye fishing lake and can be crowded during the fishing opener. Cutfoot is connected to Lake Winnie and provides anglers with the choice of staying on Cutfoot or venturing out onto Big Winnie. The lake is stocked with walleye on a regular basis.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Cutfoot Sioux Lake: Send us an interesting fact about Cutfoot Sioux Lake and we will post it here.
Deer Lake Information
Acres: 4,097
Max Depth: 121 feet
Clarity: 11 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Walleye, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and some Muskellunge
Public Accesses: 1 concrete
Unique Qualities: Deer Lake is moderately developed with family homes, cabins, and some smaller family resorts. The lake supports diverse fish species and is actively managed for walleye, musky and smallmouth bass.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Deer Lake: Deer Lake is sometimes referred to as the Lake of Changing Colors.
Jesse Lake Information
Acres: 1,753
Max Depth: 42 feet
Clarity: 8 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Walleye, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike
Public Accesses: 1 concrete
Unique Qualities: Jessie Lake is actively managed for walleyes and was aggressively stocked in 2002 and 2003. The relatively shallow depth of Jessie Lake allows for heating and cooling of the lake water slightly ahead of traditional lake trends in northern Minnesota.
Member Place to Stay on Jessie Lake:
Jessie View Resort
Mississippi River Information
Predominant Fish Species:
Public Accesses:
Unique qualities: Be aware of the locations of dams along the Mississippi River and how they will impact your ability to navigate upstream or downstream. Fishing between the Blandin Paper Mill Dam and the Pokegama Dam is popular during the summer months. The river has bays which hold bass and panfish, and has several bridges that provide opportunities to fish underneath from shore.
Interesting Fact or Legend about the Mississippi River: The Mississippi River landing in Grand Rapids was the furthermost stopping point for the early steamships on the river. At Grand Rapids the river became too shallow for the ships to continue northward and thus Grand Rapids became the entertainment, trading, and merchant shopping hub to the northern region.
Moose Lake Information
Acres: 1274
Max Depth: 61 feet
Clarity: 7.5 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Walleye, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Black Crappie, Smallmouth Bass, and some Muskellunge
Public Accesses: 1 concrete
Interesting Fact or Legend about Moose Lake: If you know an interesting fact or legend about Moose Lake please send us an email and we will post it here!
Member Places to Stay on Moose Lake:
Cedarwild Resort
Pokegama Lake Information
Acres: 6,612
Max Depth: 112 feet
Clarity: 18.5 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Bluegill, Northern Pike, Rockbass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass
Public Accesses: 7 (5 concrete, 2 earthen)
Unique Qualities: Pokegama Lake is a 6612 acre recreational lake that provides access by water to Jay Gould Lake and the Mississippi River. The natural topography of Pokegama Lake provides the varied natural structure which sustains good quality and quantities of all game fish species. The lake has hosted a number of fishing tournaments over the years including bass, perch, and walleye tournaments.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Pokegama Lake: The name Pokegama is a Native American word meaning many fingers or many bays.
Member Places to Stay on Pokegama Lake:
Birch Cove Resort
Southwood Resort
Seagren’s Pokegama Lodge B&B
Prairie Lake Information
Acres: 1064
Max Depth: 31 feet
Clarity: 6.5 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Black crappie, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, and Walleye
Public Accesses: 2 concrete
Unique Qualities: Prairie Lake has a unique outcropping of rocks on its southern edge that form the Prairie Lake Gorge. This scenic spot is a popular photography location which can also be accessed via a short hike from Gunn Park along the Itasca Bike Trail. The location is not signed so listen for clues along the bike trail to know where to find the lake and its’ gorge.
Member Place to Stay on Prairie Lake:
Pine Acres Resort
Spider Lake Information
Acres: 1,349
Max Depth: 36 feet
Clarity: 12.5 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Walleye, Largemouth Bass
Public Accesses: 1 concrete
Unique Qualities: Spider Lake supports diverse fish species and is managed for walleye production.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Spider Lake:
Splithand Lake Information
Acres: 1,420
Max Depth: 34 feet
Clarity: 8.5 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Yellow Perch, Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Black Crappie, Sunfish
Public Accesses: 1 concrete
Unique Qualities: Splithand Lake is a residential lake with no commercial resort properties remaining on the lake. Its relatively shallow depth allow for heating and cooling water temperatures ahead of normal trends.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Splithand Lake: If you know an interesting fact or legend about Splithand Lake please send us an email and we will post it here!
Sugar Lake Information
Acres: 1306
Max Depth: 105 feet
Clarity: 26 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Yellow Perch, Walleye, Rock Bass, Northern Pike, and Bluegill.
Public Accesses: 1 concrete
Unique Qualities: Sugar Lake is managed for walleye and northern pike production. Locals recommend fishing the lake in the evening or on cloudy days because of the crystal clear water.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Sugar Lake: A unique sand composition in the bottom of Sugar Lake along with exceptionally clear water creates an aquamarine color reflection. Sugar Lake Lodge was the host location of the 1999 Governor’s Fishing Opener with Jessie Ventura.
Member place to stay on Sugar Lake:
Sugar Lake Lodge
Turtle Lake Information
Acres: 2,052
Max Depth: 137 feet
Clarity: 12 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Bluegill, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Tullibee (cisco), Yellow Perch
Public Accesses: 1 concrete
Unique Qualities: Turtle Lake is an aesthetically beautiful lake with clear, deep water. Its reputation for large smallmouth bass and a diverse fish species make it a popular fishing destination for recreational anglers. If you are lodging in Grand Rapids and plan to fish on Turtle Lake, Frontier Sports in Marcell is a good place to stop for fishing bait and last-minute supplies.
Interesting Fact or Legend about Turtle Lake: Do you know of a legend or fact about Turtle Lake? Please send us an email?
Wasson Lake Information
Acres: 450
Max Depth: 67 feet
Clarity: 14 feet
Predominant Fish Species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Northern Pike, Black Crappie
Public Accesses: none
Unique Qualities: Wasson Lake is a 450 acre, spring fed lake similar in appearance to a Canadian lakescape. With only one family resort, no public access and the lack of development around the lake, the lake provides a quiet experience ideal for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and wildlife viewing. The provides excellent fishing for large and smallmouth bass, northern pike, crappies and bluegills.
Member Place to Stay on Wasson Lake:
Loon Point Resort
Lake Winnibigoshish Information
Acres: 58,544
Max Depth: 70 feet
Clarity: not recorded
Predominant Fish Species: Walleye, Yellow Perch, Crappie, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, and Tullibee (Cisco)
Public Accesses: 7 concrete
Unique Qualities: Lake Winnie is a large lake that is popular with walleye anglers during open water season, and perch anglers during the ice fishing season. The lake is widely regarded as one of the top walleye fisheries in Minnesota. Much of the land around Lake Winnie is federal forestland and part of the Chippewa National Forest. Lake Winnibigoshish is actively managed for walleye production.
Interesting Fact about Lake Winnie: The state record Musky (muskellunge) was caught in Lake Winnie in 1957. It weighed 54 pounds and measured 56 inches long.
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Local Grand Rapids Minnesota Fishing Guides
