Eagle Lake Fishing near Maple Grove, Minnesota

• Overview

  Eagle Lake lies in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Elevation runs to 856 feet. At some 294 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Shoreline comes to about 3.0 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Size puts it in the front rank of our Hennepin County list. Nearest town is Maple Grove, 2.1 miles off. Minneapolis is the closest city, 9.9 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Eagle Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Hennepin County records list bluegill, common carp, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and black crappie among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Eagle Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 73°F and January at 12°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Eagle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Pike Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. For Eagle Lake in particular, ask before you travel.