Wilmes Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Wilmes Lake in the Washington County part of Minnesota. Elevation runs to 889 feet. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Washington County. The nearest place of any size is Woodbury, 2.2 miles away. For a city, Saint Paul is 8.7 miles off. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Wilmes Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Washington County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, brown trout and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Wilmes Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 72°F, with January the cold end at about 12°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Average temperatures cross freezing around early April in spring and again near early December in autumn. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. That is the shape of the year on Wilmes Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Markgrafs Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at Wilmes Lake are worth checking on the day.