Hedlund Lake Fishing near Fosston, Minnesota

• Overview

  Polk County in Minnesota is where Hedlund Lake sits. The ground around here is pine and birch. Surface area is around 36 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Supplies mean a trip to Fosston, 10 miles off. Bagley lies 17 miles off, Little Rock another 27 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Hedlund Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Polk County, recorded fish include yellow perch, brown bullhead, white sucker, northern pike and black bullhead. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Hedlund Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 3°F in January to roughly 68°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That is the shape of the year on Hedlund Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Johnson Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Where Hedlund Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.