Minnesota · Cook County
Four Mile Lake Fishing guide
Four Mile Lake is a 593-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota, reaching 19.5 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, northern pike, crappie and yellow perch in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeExcellent numbers12.1per gill net13"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 97 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 97 fish
2021Lengths measured · 135 fish
2016Lengths measured · 168 fish
2011Lengths measured · 135 fish
2006Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Four Mile Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. With 98% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 19.5-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 98% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 19.5-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Northern pike | Crappie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26" | 27" | 12" |
| 2016 | 25" | 27" | 11" |
| 2011 | 23" | 22" | 12" |
| 2006 | 20" | 38" | 12" |
| 2001 | 29" | 18" | 12" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Trolling
Planer Board Spread
4–6" crankbait or a 5–6 ft crawler harness run out to the side on an in-line planer board
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Crappie · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
Crappie · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Four Mile Lake is located about 10 miles northwest of Tofte and has a US Forest Service rustic campground with a concrete log boat ramp off the Four Mile Grade (Forest Service 170) that provides public access. The lake has brown bog-stained water and covers an area of 593 acres with a maximum depth of less than 20 feet. Shallow rocks extend out from shore in some areas and boaters should use caution when navigating the lake. Anglers primarily target Walleye, although other popular species present include Black Crappie, and Northern Pike. The current fish community is sustained by natural processes that regulate the populations of each species.
Walleye catch was 12.1 per gill net in 2021, which is similar to previous surveys of the lake dating back several decades. The average size of Walleye sampled was 13.6 inches and 0.92 pounds with the largest fish measuring about 26 inches long. Growth is considered normal for Finland area lakes with Walleye reaching 14.2 inches at age-5. Age analysis found year classes from each of the past several years. Results of the survey indicate natural reproduction continues to provide anglers with a good opportunity to catch and harvest a Walleye.
Read the full DNR narrative
Black Crappie are another popular species targeted by anglers in Four Mile Lake. Historic surveys dating back to the 1980's have captured a low number of individuals. This is fairly typical of crappie populations in the Finland area that are low density and maintained through sporadic recruitment of year classes that are produced frequently enough to sustain the fishery. Catches from standard fisheries gear do not accurately reflect the angling opportunities for this species on this lake.
Northern Pike are also available to anglers and were captured at a rate of 1.0 per gill net in 2021. Net catches have been below the normal range for similar lakes in each of the eight previous surveys of the lake. While there is not an abundant population of pike, anglers may get a chance to battle this hard fighting species when fishing on the lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Four Mile Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Four Mile Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Four Mile Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Four Mile Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Richey Lake · 104 ac · 1.7 mi
- Fox Lake · 34 ac · 1.8 mi
- East Fox Lake · 21 ac · 2.2 mi
- Toohey Lake · 370 ac · 2.2 mi
- Finger Lake · 204 ac · 2.3 mi
- Cross River Lake · 79 ac · 2.6 mi
- South Wigwam Lake · 63 ac · 2.7 mi
- Feather Lake · 9 ac · 2.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Four Mile Lake?
Four Mile Lake reaches 19.5 ft at its deepest point; about 98% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Four Mile Lake?
Four Mile Lake covers 593 acres with about 8.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Four Mile Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Four Mile Lake average 5.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Four Mile Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, northern pike, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Four Mile Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Four Mile Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Four Mile Lake have a public access?
Yes. Four Mile Lake has one public access site: Four Mile Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Four Mile Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2001.
When was Four Mile Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Four Mile Lake in 2021, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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