Fishing at Horseshoe Lake, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Out in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, sits Horseshoe Lake. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. This is a pocket water of some 17 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Mille Lacs County. Supplies mean a trip to Vineland, 4.5 miles off. Minneapolis sits 86 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Mille Lacs County cover largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and bluegill. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Horseshoe Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 8°F for January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Horseshoe Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Starvation Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. For Horseshoe Lake in particular, ask before you travel.