Schmidt Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Hennepin County, Schmidt Lake is a Minnesota water. It sits in pine and birch country. Roughly 42 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The edge runs 1.6 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It lies lower than most water we list in Minnesota. 2.2 miles away sits New Hope, the nearest town. Further out sit Plymouth (2.3 miles) and Maple Grove (2.5 miles). No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Schmidt Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Hennepin County names bluegill, common carp, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and black crappie. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Anyone new to Schmidt Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 72°F and January near 12°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on Schmidt Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Curtis Lake, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Schmidt Lake in what we hold.