Lysing Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lysing Lake falls in Big Stone County, part of Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. This is sizeable water at about 252 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The bank runs about 2.6 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Head to Ortonville, 7.9 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then Milbank, 17 miles, and Appleton, 25 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lysing Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Big Stone County records list common carp, yellow perch, walleye, black bullhead and orangespotted sunfish among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The near bank of Lysing Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 72°F, the coldest about 10°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Lysing Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Bassett Slough is 0.5 miles off. Check the position on Lysing Lake before loading the car.