Fish Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Fish Lake is a Hennepin County water, Minnesota side. It lies 876 feet above sea level. The water covers some 236 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. You are looking at roughly 4.1 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Few waters listed in Hennepin County are bigger. 1.4 miles away sits Maple Grove, the nearest town. Further out sit Osseo (3.5 miles) and Corcoran (4.1 miles). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Fish Lake

  Recorded soundings reach about 70 feet at the deepest point. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Hennepin County include bluegill, common carp and largemouth bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Treat Fish Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 12°F in January and 72°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about late November in an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Time your trip to Fish Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. A rest area sits about half a mile from the water. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Nothing here settles the position at Fish Lake for certain.