Baldwin Lake Fishing in Anoka County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Anoka County, Minnesota, sits Baldwin Lake. It sits at 863 feet above sea level. At about 193 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Bank access stretches around 2.2 miles in total. It lies lower than most water we list in Minnesota. Start from Circle Pines, 1.1 miles down the road. Lexington follows at 1.4 miles, then Lino Lakes at 2.7 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Baldwin Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Anoka County cover bluegill, common carp and black crappie. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Treat Baldwin Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 72°F and January about 12°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about early April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Baldwin Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Golden Lake is 0.9 miles distant. What applies at Baldwin Lake may have changed since it was mapped.