Ashton Lake in Chisago County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Chisago County entry here is Ashton Lake, in Minnesota. The surface lies 876 feet up. Roughly 25 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Chisago County. Nearest town is Wyoming, 0.9 miles off. Beyond it, Forest Lake at 3.2 miles and Stacy at 5 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Ashton Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Chisago County records list largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill and yellow perch among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Ashton Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 11°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Ashton Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Heims Lake is 0.8 miles distant. Check the position at Ashton Lake before loading the car.