Conley Lake Fishing Guide, Dakota County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Conley Lake lies within the bounds of Dakota County, Minnesota. Around the bank it is rolling bush. With some 91 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 1.9 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Hastings sits 0.8 miles from the bank. It is 18 miles to Saint Paul, the nearest city. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Conley Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Dakota County include bluegill, common carp, green sunfish and black crappie. The county list is broader than any single water. Conley Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 72°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near early December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Expect Conley Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. Boat services are half a mile out at the marina. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Lake Isabelle is 0.9 miles off. Where Conley Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.