Minnesota · Cass County
Horseshoe Lake Fishing guide
Horseshoe Lake covers 260 acres in Cass County, Minnesota, reaching 51 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 16 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeGood numbers4.3per gill net18"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 32 fish
2024Lengths measured · 69 fish
2019Lengths measured · 78 fish
2014Lengths measured · 137 fish
2010Largemouth bassPresent13.7per gill net11"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 116 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 116 fish
2024Lengths measured · 167 fish
2019Lengths measured · 155 fish
2014Lengths measured · 110 fish
2010BluegillJust a few7per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1125 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 1125 fish
2024Lengths measured · 90 fish
2019Lengths measured · 335 fish
2014Lengths measured · 1079 fish
2010CrappiePresent1.5per gill net10"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 52 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 52 fish
2024Lengths measured · 18 fish
2019Lengths measured · 54 fish
2014Lengths measured · 4 fish
2010Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchFair numbers1.5per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2024Lengths measured · 22 fish
2019Lengths measured · 23 fish
2014Lengths measured · 100 fish
2010Rock bassOne of the best around11.8per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 208 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 208 fish
2024Lengths measured · 142 fish
2019Lengths measured · 502 fish
2014Lengths measured · 459 fish
2010Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Horseshoe Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 16 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. On a lake that drops to 51 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 16 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 51 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28" | 20" | 33" |
| 2019 | 24" | 19" | 25" |
| 2014 | 29" | 18" | 34" |
| 2010 | 27" | 19" | 31" |
| 2008 | 23" | 17" | 30" |
| 2004 | 26" | 18" | 27" |
| 2001 | 28" | 19" | 33" |
| 1997 | 27" | 20" | 33" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Horseshoe Lake is a 260-acre lake with 3.84 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 51 feet located east of Backus, MN. There is a MNDNR owned public access on the south shore. Horseshoe Lake is primarily managed for Bluegill, Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye and secondarily for Yellow Perch. The MNDNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Horseshoe Lake is in Lake Class 23; lakes in this class are generally clear, deep, have a low percentage of shallow water area, and have very irregularly shaped shoreline with many bays or points. Other Lake Class 23 lakes in the Walker area include Baby, Hay, Mule, Portage, and Stony. The purpose of this survey was to assess the status of gamefish populations in Horseshoe Lake. A special regulation for Sunfish (daily limit five) was implemented in 2016.
Horseshoe Lake is unique in the fact that for its size and simplicity it supports a naturally reproducing Walleye population. Walleye numbers fell below the management goal of ten fish per gill net in 2024. Walleye ranged in length from 13 to 28 inches with an average length of 19 inches. In addition to Walleye, the lake also supports quality angling opportunities for Largemouth Bass and Bluegill. Largemouth Bass are abundant with fish up to 20 inches long sampled. Bluegill are abundant with approximately 10 percent sampled measuring 8 inches or longer, and Bluegill up to 10 inches sampled. A special regulation (sunfish daily limit 5) was implemented in 2016 to maintain quality size Bluegill. Black Crappie provide angling opportunity ranging in length from 4 to 13 inches with an average length of 8.7 inches. Northern Pike abundance is low due to limited spawning habitat.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species sampled in Horseshoe Lake include Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Currently no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Horseshoe Lake. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Horseshoe Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Horseshoe Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Horseshoe Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Horseshoe Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Willard Lake · 8 ac · 0.8 mi
- Ox Yoke Lake · 185 ac · 1.3 mi
- Sanborn Lake · 220 ac · 1.6 mi
- Johnson Lake · 90 ac · 2.2 mi
- Five Point Lake · 251 ac · 2.2 mi
- Lind Lake · 440 ac · 2.3 mi
- Beuber Lake · 132 ac · 2.4 mi
- Big Portage Lake · 902 ac · 2.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Horseshoe Lake?
Horseshoe Lake reaches 51 ft at its deepest point; about 31% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Horseshoe Lake?
Horseshoe Lake covers 260 acres with about 3.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Horseshoe Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Horseshoe Lake average 16 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Horseshoe Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Horseshoe Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Horseshoe Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Horseshoe Lake have a public access?
Yes. Horseshoe Lake has one public access site: Horseshoe Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Horseshoe Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Horseshoe Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Horseshoe Lake in 2024, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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