Goodwin Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Goodwin Lake, in Mahnomen County. The bank is 1,519 feet above sea level. With some 34 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Around 1.6 miles of margin, front to back. Nearest place of any size is Mahnomen, 15 miles away. The big place round here is Fargo, 62 miles distant. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Goodwin Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Mahnomen County cover rainbow trout, white sucker, northern pike and bluegill. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Treat Goodwin Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for July and 4°F for January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Anyone fishing Goodwin Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Lizzard Lake, 2.7 miles out. Check the position on Goodwin Lake before loading the car.