Hawks Nest Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lincoln County, Minnesota, is where Hawks Nest Lake sits. Around the bank it is rolling bush. With some 152 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline length is close to 4.0 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. Nearest town is Minneota, 12 miles off. It is 70 miles to Sioux Falls, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hawks Nest Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Lincoln County include common carp, yellow perch, walleye and black bullhead. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Hawks Nest Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 11°F to 71°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Hawks Nest Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Hawks Nest Wildlife Management Area takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Drietz Lake, 1.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Hawks Nest Lake as something to verify.