Fishing Lake Leo in Big Stone County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Big Stone County, Minnesota, is where Lake Leo sits. The surface lies 1,109 feet up. Around 65 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. With about 1.2 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Ortonville at 15 miles is the nearest place to stop. Wheaton is 19 miles and Milbank 22 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lake Leo

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Big Stone County, recorded fish include common carp, yellow perch, walleye and black bullhead. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Lake Leo is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 10°F to 72°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Lake Leo follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, North Rothwell Lake is 1.9 miles off. Confirm before you fish Lake Leo.