Burroughs Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Burroughs Lake is one of the Pope County listings for Minnesota. What surrounds it is lake country bush. The water covers some 99 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 1.7 miles on foot. Osakis lies 7.7 miles from the water. Sauk Centre is 11 miles away, with Glenwood at 13 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Burroughs Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Pope County include largemouth bass, common carp and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Burroughs Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 9°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Burroughs Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. English Grove Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Burroughs Lake if anything is unclear.