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125-acre lake near Cook County. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1942, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The drawn water covers 125 acres wrapped in 7.2 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.6) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. End to end it runs roughly 2.5 mi, about 0.4 mi across. It sits in Cook County. West Pope sits 0 mi north — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring splake on Iron hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 5 to 15 ft in summer, 3 to 15 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 8 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 5 to 15 ft covers summer, 5 to 15 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 8 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Iron hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 5 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts rock bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Summer rock bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Spring bluegill on Iron hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 14 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Iron specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Iron is about 15 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1942, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target splake, walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, bluegill on Iron.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For splake, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Iron 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.
West Pope 0 mi · Portage 1 mi · Mayhew 1 mi · East Pope 1 mi · One Island 1 mi · Little Mayhew 1 mi · Bedew 1 mi · Rush 2 mi · Crab 2 mi · Lum 2 mi · Surber 2 mi · Little Iron 2 mi
See how Iron stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Cook County fishing maps (351 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.