Fishing at Twin Lakes, Rice County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Twin Lakes is set in Rice County, Minnesota. It sits in pine and birch country. Small at around 16 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Rice County list. For a base, Faribault sits 2.3 miles out. Dundas is 8.1 miles and Medford 11 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Twin Lakes

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Rice County: common carp, bluegill, largemouth bass and black bullhead. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Twin Lakes the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 72°F; by January the average is down near 12°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about early December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. That shapes the year on Twin Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Roberds Lake, 3.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Twin Lakes in particular, ask before you travel.