Lake Hendricks in Lincoln County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Hendricks is a Lincoln County water, in Minnesota. The bank is 1,749 feet above sea level. The water covers around 2.4 sq miles, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The edge covers about 8.3 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. Size puts it in the front rank of our Lincoln County list. Nearest place of any size is Canby, 17 miles away. Beyond it, Clear Lake at 21 miles and Brookings at 21 miles.

• Where to Fish on Lake Hendricks

  Recorded soundings reach about 10 feet at the deepest point. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name common carp, yellow perch and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lake Hendricks the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 11°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Lake Hendricks runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Oak Lake, 4.1 miles away. Ask locally about Lake Hendricks if anything is unclear.