Fishing Lake Bavaria in Carver County, Minnesota

• Overview

  This water sits in Carver County, Minnesota. The bank is 961 feet above sea level. Around 166 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Shoreline comes to about 2.4 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Ground here is low by Minnesota standards. Victoria sits 1.8 miles from the bank. The nearest city of size is Minneapolis, 21 miles away. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake Bavaria

  Surveys put the deepest water at about 75 feet. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Carver County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass and common carp. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Lake Bavaria responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 72°F in July and bottom out at 11°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Lake Bavaria that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try McKnight Lake, 1.6 miles away. Treat Lake Bavaria as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.