Hay Lake Fishing near Scandia, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Washington County, Minnesota, sits Hay Lake. It sits at 965 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 39 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Ground here is low by Minnesota standards. The closest town, Scandia, is 1.4 miles distant. It is 24 miles to Saint Paul, the nearest city. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Hay Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Washington County cover bluegill, largemouth bass, brown trout, northern pike and black crappie. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Hay Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 71°F for July and 12°F for January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early April until roughly late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That is the shape of the year on Hay Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Sand Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Hay Lake if anything is unclear.