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Rating depth structure for brook trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
222-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 18 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The outline encloses 222 acres, worked by 2.8 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 92% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 0.9 mi end to end and 0.8 mi across at its widest. Lake County claims this one. Cramer Homestead sits 3 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 5 to 18 ft game here, winter a 3 to 18 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 15 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Balsam specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Balsam is about 18 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target brook trout on Balsam.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Balsam is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Cramer Homestead 3 mi · Twenty Three 3 mi · Moose 3 mi · Cabin 4 mi · Sonju 4 mi · Bluebill 4 mi · Blesener 5 mi · Spur 5 mi · Cramer 5 mi · Crosscut 5 mi · Divide 5 mi · Section Eight 6 mi
See how Balsam stacks up: best brook trout lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Lake County fishing maps (313 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.