Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Horseshoe Lake Fishing guide
Horseshoe Lake is a 922-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 56 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeJust a few0.8per gill net23"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2016Lengths measured · 7 fish
2013Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2010Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Largemouth bassGood numbers51.1per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 193 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 193 fish
2022Lengths measured · 96 fish
2016Lengths measured · 11 fish
2013Lengths measured · 111 fish
2010No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers9.7per gill net18"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 128 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 128 fish
2022Lengths measured · 120 fish
2016Lengths measured · 125 fish
2013Lengths measured · 131 fish
2010BluegillJust a few9.8per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 278 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 278 fish
2022Lengths measured · 291 fish
2016Lengths measured · 59 fish
2013Lengths measured · 305 fish
2010CrappieJust a few2.6per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 47 fish
2022Lengths measured · 33 fish
2016Lengths measured · 22 fish
2013Lengths measured · 33 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
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 12.4 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 56 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. On a lake that drops to 56 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 19" | 33" | 27" |
| 2016 | 20" | 35" | 26" |
| 2013 | 16" | 33" | 22" |
| 2010 | 20" | 32" | 24" |
| 2004 | 20" | 35" | 28" |
| 2001 | 15" | 32" | 28" |
| 1996 | 14" | 36" | 28" |
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:
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 · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 806 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Horseshoe Lake was conducted on August 1st, 2022 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Fourteen sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine. Nearshore sampling captured 18 species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from an August 2022 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey indicates Horseshoe Lake is in good health as indicated by an FIBI score above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Pine River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Minnesota DNR Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Program staff also assessed lakeshore habitat on Horseshoe Lake on June 6th, 2022, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 62 survey sites evenly spaced 200 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline Zone (the shore-water interface to the top of the natural bank), Shoreland Zone (land-ward from shoreline to development structure or 100 feet), and Aquatic Zone (lake-ward 50 feet of shoreline). The average lakewide habitat score was 57.8 (±3.2) out of 100 possible, which is low and below the statewide average score of 73. A low score indicates that sites are typically developed and have a lower than expected amount of natural habitat. Approximately 91% of the sites were developed with a mean score of 54.2 (±3.0), while undeveloped sites had a mean score of 98.7 (±1.3).
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff delineated the floating leaf and emergent aquatic vegetation of Horseshoe Lake 8/31/2022, following the protocols listed in the MN DNR Lake Plant Mapping Manual. There was a total of 39.5 acres of floating and emergent plants mapped. This consisted of 35.8 acres of emergent dominated plant communities and 3.7 acres of floating leaf plant communities. The following taxa were noted during the survey: bulrush (round-stem group) (Schoenoplectus spp.), canary grass (Phalaris spp.), cattail (Typha spp.), sedge (Carex spp.), three-square bulrush (species) (Schoenoplectus pungens), watershield (Brasenia schreberi), white waterlily (Nymphaea odorata).
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, Sandbar (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Horseshoe Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Bass Lake · 285 ac · 1.8 mi
- Bonnie Lake · 76 ac · 2.2 mi
- Upper Mission Lake · 882 ac · 2.7 mi
- Lougee Lake · 212 ac · 3.2 mi
- Pelican Lake · 8,367 ac · 3.4 mi
- Lower Mission Lake · 732 ac · 3.5 mi
- Pine Lake · 324 ac · 3.8 mi
- Greer Lake · 354 ac · 4.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Horseshoe Lake?
Horseshoe Lake reaches 56 ft at its deepest point; about 57% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Horseshoe Lake?
Horseshoe Lake covers 922 acres with about 7.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Horseshoe Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Horseshoe Lake average 12.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Horseshoe Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Horseshoe Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked yellow perch in 2019.
Does Horseshoe Lake have a public access?
Yes. Horseshoe Lake has one public access site: Horseshoe Lake, Sandbar (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Horseshoe Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Horseshoe Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Horseshoe Lake in 2022, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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