Hurley Lake Fishing near Eagan, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Hurley Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Around the bank it is lake country bush. At roughly 6 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Dakota County list. For a base, Eagan sits 1.4 miles out. Further out sit Mendota Heights (4.3 miles) and Inver Grove Heights (5.7 miles). The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Hurley Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Dakota County include bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, black crappie and black bullhead. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Hurley Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 72°F and January about 12°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on Hurley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Toilets show in mapping about 0.9 miles away. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. O'Leary Lake at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Hurley Lake are worth checking on the day.