Mooney Lake Fishing near Wayzata, Minnesota

• Overview

  Hennepin County, Minnesota, is where Mooney Lake sits. Lake country bush runs right down to the water. At about 113 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. About 2.1 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Minnesota listings. For a base, Wayzata sits 1.9 miles out. Beyond it, Long Lake at 2.7 miles and Plymouth at 3.3 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Mooney Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name bluegill, common carp, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Mooney Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 72°F and January about 11°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Mooney Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Lydiard Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Mooney Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.