Pike Lake near Maple Grove: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Hennepin County end of Minnesota holds Pike Lake. Elevation runs to 856 feet. It measures about 57 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 1.4 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Ground here is low by Minnesota standards. The town to know is Maple Grove, 1.9 miles out. It is 9.9 miles to Minneapolis, the nearest city. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Pike Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Hennepin County include bluegill, common carp, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Pike Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 72°F; by January the average is down near 12°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At Pike Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Eagle Lake is 0.7 miles off. For Pike Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.