Fishing at South Silver Lake, Martin County, Minnesota

• Overview

  South Silver Lake sits in Martin County, out in Minnesota. The surface lies 1,194 feet up. Surface area runs to roughly 248 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The margin runs to about 3.1 miles in total. The nearest place of any size is Fairmont, 9.1 miles away. Further out sit Sherburn (16 miles) and Blue Earth (20 miles). Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on South Silver Lake

  The basin drops to a measured 25 feet. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Martin County, recorded fish include common carp, yellow perch and black bullhead. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On South Silver Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 72°F in July and bottoms out near 13°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice clears near early April and comes back about early December in a typical year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on South Silver Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. For walleye, a jig and minnow near the bottom is the standard; evenings beat middays. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. North Silver Lake sits 1.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at South Silver Lake carry more weight than any list.