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Fishing Cherokee: what the data says
842-acre lake near Cook County. The lake tops out around 142 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Lake Trout fishing at Cherokee
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 121 ft that scores prime in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Yellow Perch fishing at Cherokee
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at Cherokee
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Burbot fishing at Cherokee
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 25 to 70 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 121 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in summer. Best bite is after dark and midday. A heavy jig + cut bait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 121 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 64 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 36 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 36 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Cherokee?
Cherokee is about 142 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Cherokee?
Anglers target northern pike, yellow perch, lake trout, burbot on Cherokee.
Where is the best fishing spot on Cherokee?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Cherokee?
For lake trout, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
North Temperance · Gordon · Frost · South Temperance · Clam · Wench
See how Cherokee stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota · best lake trout lakes in Minnesota · best burbot lakes in Minnesota
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