Cook County, Minnesota

Gunflint Lake

Best fishing times today, in local lake time.

Today

Good day

Next major bite

4:20–6:20 PM CT

Major bite (moon overhead): 3:48–5:48 AM
Minor bite (moonset): 12:56–1:56 PM
Major bite (moon underfoot): 4:20–6:20 PM
Minor bite (moonrise): 8:49–9:49 PM

Sunrise: 7:45 AM
Sunset: 5:47 PM
Moon: Waning gibbous, 74%

Times in Central Time. Updated 7:57 AM CT.

Conditions

Air: 31°F
Wind: 5 mph W
Sky: Mostly Sunny

National Weather Service hourly forecast.

7-day bite calendar

Day	Major	Major	Minor	Minor	Moon
Today	3:48–5:48 AM	4:20–6:20 PM	12:56–1:56 PM	8:49–9:49 PM	Waning gibbous, 74%
Sat, Oct 31	4:50–6:50 AM	5:20–7:20 PM	1:37–2:37 PM	10:11–11:11 PM	Waning gibbous, 63%
Sun, Nov 1	4:48–6:48 AM	5:15–7:15 PM	1:07–2:07 PM	10:33–11:33 PM	Last quarter, 52%
Mon, Nov 2	5:41–7:41 AM	6:06–8:06 PM	1:30–2:30 PM	—	Waning crescent, 40%
Tue, Nov 3	6:29–8:29 AM	6:52–8:52 PM	11:53 PM–12:53 AM	1:49–2:49 PM	Waning crescent, 30%
Wed, Nov 4	7:15–9:15 AM	7:37–9:37 PM	1:10–2:10 AM	2:05–3:05 PM	Waning crescent, 20%
Thu, Nov 5	7:59–9:59 AM	8:21–10:21 PM	2:24–3:24 AM	2:20–3:20 PM	Waning crescent, 13%

What's biting on Gunflint Lake in October

Gunflint Lake covers 4,009 acres and is 200 ft at its deepest. These are the sport fish DNR surveys found here, and what each typically does in October in Minnesota lakes.

WalleyeFall walleye feed heavily on rocky points and breaklines; dusk and after dark are often best.
Northern pikeFall pike feed heavily along the last green weeds and drop-offs.
Smallmouth bassFall smallmouth school on deep rocky structure and feed before moving to wintering areas.
BluegillFall bluegill move toward deeper weed edges and feed actively.
Yellow perchFall perch school on deep flats and feed heavily.
Lake troutLake trout spawn on rocky reefs in fall.
BurbotAs the water cools, burbot become more active along the bottom.

Gunflint Lake is a border water shared with Canada, so its seasons and limits follow the DNR's border-water regulations rather than the statewide inland seasons. Check current regulations.

Fish in Gunflint Lake

Species found in Minnesota DNR fish surveys of Gunflint Lake in the last 10 years or its latest survey (August 7, 2023).

WalleyeSpawns over gravel and rock in the shallows soon after ice-out, peaking in 42–50°F water; in summer it holds deeper and feeds in the shallows at dawn and dusk.
Northern pikeSpawns in flooded, weedy shallows right after ice-out and keeps feeding in cold water, so it bites from spring through ice season.
Smallmouth bassNests on gravel and rock in late spring and stays around rocky points, reefs and current through summer.
BluegillNests in colonies in firm-bottomed shallows from late May through much of summer, in 67–80°F water; bigger fish feed in open water.
Yellow perchSpawns in early spring, draping egg ribbons over weeds and brush, and bites eagerly on worms all year, including through the ice.
Rock bassNests over gravel near rocks and logs in late spring and stays close to rocky cover all summer.
Lake troutLives in deep, cold, clear northern lakes; it comes shallow after ice-out and in late fall and stays deep while the surface is warm.
Tullibee (cisco)A cold-water fish of deep, well-oxygenated lakes that spawns in the shallows in late fall.
BurbotA freshwater cousin of the cod that spawns under the ice in mid to late winter, when anglers catch most of them.

Also found

Cisco species
Rainbow smelt
White sucker

Lake facts

Minnesota part only: Gunflint Lake is shared with Canada, and the DNR outline covers the Minnesota side.

Area: 4,009 acres2,166 acres in Minnesota; shared with Canada
Max depth: 200 ft
County: Cook County
Nearest town: Grand Marais
DNR lake ID: 16035600

Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder (retrieved October 30, 2026).