Horseshoe Lake Fishing Guide, Scott County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Horseshoe Lake belongs to Scott County, Minnesota. The setting is lake country bush on every side. Around 37 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Minnesota listings. Nearest town is Belle Plaine, 1.7 miles off. The big place round here is Minneapolis, 34 miles distant. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Scott County include bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Horseshoe Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 72°F and January near 11°F on the long-run figures. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Look for the thaw near early April; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan any trip to Horseshoe Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Browns Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Horseshoe Lake may have changed since it was mapped.