Lake Wilson Fishing near Slayton, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lake Wilson lies in Murray County, Minnesota. Land around it is lake country bush. Around 81 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The full circuit measures close to 2.6 miles on foot. Compared with other Minnesota water on our list, it sits high. For supplies, Slayton is 9.3 miles out. Then Edgerton, 12 miles, and Pipestone, 19 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Wilson

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Murray County include common carp, walleye, black bullhead and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Read Lake Wilson before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 11°F in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake Wilson.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Summit Lake at 4.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Lake Wilson.