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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
96-acre lake near St. Louis County. The lake tops out around 19 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Cooks runs 97 acres with 2.3 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 82% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.6 mi, about 0.5 mi across. The water lies in St. Louis County. The nearest mapped water is Morgan, 1 mi to the north.
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 6 to 19 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 19 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 9 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 19 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 19 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 19 ft, wintering in 6 to 19 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Cooks also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 16 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Cooks specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Cooks is about 19 ft (6 m) deep 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.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Cooks.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Cooks is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Morgan 1 mi · Bergen 3 mi · Island Lake Rsvr(W.Basin) 3 mi · Clearwater 4 mi · Flowage 4 mi · Fish Lk Flowage(Main Bas) 5 mi · Fish Lk Flowage(East Bay) 5 mi · Mirror 5 mi · Boulder 6 mi · Sunshine 6 mi · Schultz 7 mi · Jacobs 7 mi
See how Cooks stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.