Goggins Lake Fishing Guide, Washington County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Goggins Lake stands in Washington County, Minnesota. The water sits 958 feet up. It runs to roughly 28 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.1 miles in total. It is a small entry by Washington County standards. 3.5 miles away sits Grant, the nearest town. Saint Paul sits 16 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Goggins Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Washington County include bluegill, largemouth bass and brown trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work Goggins Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 72°F and January near 12°F on the long-run figures. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about late November in an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Plan around that when you fish Goggins Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. School Section Lake, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Goggins Lake as something to verify.