Hay Lake Fishing in Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Hay Lake is one of the Crow Wing County listings for Minnesota. What surrounds it is rolling bush. Around 47 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Shoreline comes to about 1.3 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, Crosby, is 6.8 miles away. After that come Brainerd at 7.6 miles and Baxter at 12 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hay Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Crow Wing County include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Hay Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 69°F and January near 8°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Hay Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Loerch Wildlife Management Area runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Mud Lake, 2.5 miles away. Check the position on Hay Lake before loading the car.