Twin Lake Fishing near Forest Lake, Minnesota

• Overview

  Twin Lake sits within Washington County in Minnesota. The water sits 889 feet up. Surface area runs to about 17 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Washington County list holds plenty of bigger water. The town to know is Forest Lake, 3.9 miles out. After that come Scandia at 5.3 miles and Wyoming at 5.7 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Twin Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Washington County include bluegill, largemouth bass and brown trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Twin Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 71°F, with January the cold end at about 11°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That shapes the year on Twin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Clear Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Twin Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.