Fishing at Reinke Slough, Blue Earth County, Minnesota

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Reinke Slough falls inside Blue Earth County. The bank is 974 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 9 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Our Blue Earth County list holds plenty of bigger water. Nearest place of any size is Winnebago, 12 miles away. For a city, Minneapolis is 87 miles off. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Reinke Slough

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Blue Earth County, recorded fish include common carp, bluegill, yellow perch, black bullhead and black crappie. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Reinke Slough rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 13°F to 72°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Reinke Slough more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Porter Lake sits 2 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Reinke Slough before loading the car.