Fishing Spring Lake in Scott County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Spring Lake is a Scott County water, Minnesota side. The bank is 896 feet above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 585 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The perimeter runs near 4.3 miles, so plan the walk before you start. On our Scott County list it sits near the top for size. Start from Prior Lake, 2.7 miles down the road. Minneapolis sits 22 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Spring Lake

  Charted depth runs to roughly 42 feet at its lowest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Scott County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie and pumpkinseed. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Spring Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 72°F for July and 12°F for January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. Open water usually runs from early April until about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Spring Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Campbell Lake, 1.3 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Spring Lake for certain.