Fishing at Lake Calhoun, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Lake Calhoun in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. Around the bank it is lake country bush. Surface area runs to roughly 615 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The perimeter runs near 4.5 miles, so plan the walk before you start. The town to know is New London, 5.8 miles out. Further out sit Spicer (5.9 miles) and Paynesville (9.4 miles). Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Calhoun

  The basin has been measured to about 14 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. Open biodiversity records for Kandiyohi County list walleye, northern pike, common carp and largemouth bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Lake Calhoun a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 72°F, with January the cold end at about 10°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near early April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Lake Calhoun that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Green Lake, 3.3 miles out. Confirm access to Lake Calhoun locally before you travel.