Fishing at Schauer Lake, Sibley County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Sibley County, Minnesota, is where Schauer Lake sits. This is pine and birch ground. It runs to roughly 122 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 2.0 miles, small enough to learn in a day. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Minnesota listings. Arlington is the closest town at 3.6 miles. Glencoe follows at 9.3 miles, then Norwood (historical) at 9.8 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Schauer Lake

  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. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Sibley County names green sunfish, white sucker, black bullhead, orangespotted sunfish and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Schauer Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 72°F on average, January about 12°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Open water usually runs from early April until about late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It holds true on Schauer Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For walleye, a jig and minnow near the bottom is the standard; evenings beat middays. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Curran Lake, 2.2 miles out. Treat access at Schauer Lake as something to verify.