Fishing

The Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) provides many opportunities for shore, pier, and boat fishing. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a great resource for fishing best practices, finding the best fishing spots, and safety information. General fishing information from the Minnesota DNR can be found here. Information on fishing in trout waters can be found here.

Spring, Summer, Fall Fishing

To fish in the warmer months, the following water resources are of note within the LMRWD:

Minnesota River

Over 63 species of fish have been sampled during past surveys of the river, including channel and flathead catfish. 

Brickyard Clayhole Lake

Near Chaska, MN, in Carver County, the fishing pier is popular, but note limited boat access.

Courthouse Lake

Near Chaska, MN, in Carver County, the fishing pier is popular, but note limited boat access.

Quarry Lake

Located in Shakopee, MN, Quarry Lake is a designated trout stream that is managed and stocked by the Minnesota DNR as a recreational fishery for rainbow, brook, and brown trout.

Gifford Lake

Located near Shakopee, MN, Gifford Lake is a warm-water fishery in the floodplain of the Minnesota River. Because it is a shallow lake, the native fish population is subject to winterkills when the lake is covered by ice and snow.

Shakopee Memorial Pond

Pond Three at Shakopee Memorial Pond, in Shakopee, MN, is home to 11 species of fish, including a black bullhead and common carp.

Snelling Lake

Located in Saint Paul, MN, Snelling Lake has a boat launch and a fishing pier at the north end (boat motors are prohibited). The lake is home to bullheads and sunfish, with northern pike that can reach up to 33 inches.

Eagle Creek

Located in Scott County, MN, between Savage and Shakopee, Eagle Creek is a tributary to the Minnesota River. The creek has a self-sustaining resident brown trout population. Rainbow trout have not been stocked in recent years.

Winter Ice Fishing

The Minnesota climate provides unique opportunities for ice fishing. Lakes open for fishing are also open to ice fishing. The Minnesota DNR provides general ice fishing guidelines and safety information here.