Lee Lake Fishing near Apple Valley, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Dakota County end of Minnesota holds Lee Lake. The water sits 948 feet up. At 22 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is low-lying compared with other Minnesota water we list. Apple Valley lies 3.7 miles from the water. Minneapolis is the closest city, 19 miles away. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lee Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Dakota County include bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, black crappie and black bullhead. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Take Lee Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 72°F and January near 12°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to early December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Lee Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Part of this sits inside or beside Rolling Oaks Conservation Area, so read the notices. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Kingsley Lake, 0.6 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Lee Lake.