Sweeney Lake Fishing in Hennepin County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Hennepin County, Minnesota, is where Sweeney Lake sits. The surface lies 820 feet up. It runs to roughly 69 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It lies lower than most water we list in Minnesota. The town to know is Golden Valley, 1.2 miles out. The nearest city of size is Minneapolis, 3.7 miles away. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Sweeney Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Hennepin County cover bluegill, common carp, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Work Sweeney Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 73°F, the coldest about 12°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Sweeney Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Twin Lake at 0.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Sweeney Lake are worth checking on the day.