Gilfillin Lake Fishing Guide, Blue Earth County, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Gilfillin Lake falls inside Blue Earth County. The bank gives way to mixed forest. It measures about 220 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is not much shape to the outline, and the wind crosses it unbroken. Madison Lake sits 1.6 miles from the bank. Beyond it, Eagle Lake at 2.9 miles and Mankato at 8.5 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Gilfillin Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Blue Earth County, recorded fish include common carp, bluegill and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Gilfillin Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 12°F to 72°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. Climate figures give an open season running early April to early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Time your trip to Gilfillin Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Gilfillan Lake Wildlife Management Area runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Ballantyne Lake, 1.1 miles away. For Gilfillin Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.