Scandinavian Lake in Pope County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Scandinavian Lake is a Pope County water, Minnesota side. Elevation runs to 1,168 feet. At some 407 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The margin runs to about 3.3 miles in total. It is among the larger waters listed here for Pope County. Nearest place of any size is Glenwood, 14 miles away. The nearest city of size is Minneapolis, 107 miles away. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Scandinavian Lake

  The basin has been measured to about 56 feet. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Pope County list largemouth bass, common carp, northern pike, yellow perch and black crappie. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Scandinavian Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 71°F and January near 10°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan any trip to Scandinavian Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. 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. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Goose Lake is 1.1 miles distant. None of that is settled for Scandinavian Lake in what we hold.