Horseshoe Lake Fishing near Breezy Point, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Crow Wing County entry here is Horseshoe Lake, in Minnesota. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. Surface area runs to roughly 903 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The margin runs to about 7.2 miles in total. It is among the larger waters listed here for Crow Wing County. Start from Breezy Point, 5 miles down the road. It is 118 miles to Minneapolis, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Measured depth reaches about 63 feet at the deepest point. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Crow Wing County include largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Horseshoe Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 69°F in July and bottoms out near 8°F in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Horseshoe Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Mud Lake, 1.2 miles away. Check the position on Horseshoe Lake before loading the car.