Lake Burgan Fishing near Alexandria, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lake Burgan lies in Douglas County, Minnesota. Everything around it is pine and birch. Around 171 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The edge runs 2.4 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. For supplies, Alexandria is 3 miles out. Osakis is 9.3 miles away, with Glenwood at 14 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Burgan

  The basin drops to a measured 49 feet. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Douglas County cover largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Lake Burgan gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 9°F to 71°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Lake Burgan rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. 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. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Lake Jessie is 2.1 miles off. Confirm access to Lake Burgan locally before you travel.