Lime Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Lime Lake belongs to Murray County. The surface lies 1,512 feet up. The water covers around 317 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The perimeter runs near 3.9 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Size puts it in the front rank of our Murray County list. Nearest place of any size is Slayton, 5.3 miles away. The nearest city of size is Sioux Falls, 60 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lime Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Murray County include common carp, walleye, black bullhead, yellow perch and black crappie. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Lime Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 12°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It holds true on Lime Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows a jetty some half a mile off. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Big Slough, 3.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Lime Lake if anything is unclear.