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289-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 100 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
On the chart, Hanson draws 289 acres inside 5.4 miles of shoreline, with a single island in the mix. The 2.3 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. About 36% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 1.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.6 mi at the beam. The water lies in Lake County. For a second option, Bullfrog lies 1 mi east.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 30 to 100 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 85 ft, rated prime for summer lake trout. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (25 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 30 to 100 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (85 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (25 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (85 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring lake whitefish on Hanson hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 90 ft, and by winter most fish are in 25 to 70 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 85 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (45 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (85 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (25 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (45 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Hanson hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 85 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (45 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (85 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (45 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 25 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (25 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (25 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (45 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, burbot run shallow here, mostly 25 to 70 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 30 to 100 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 60 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 85 ft, rated prime for summer burbot. Time it for after dark and midday. You won't need more than a heavy jig + cut bait most summer days.
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 | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (45 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 30 to 100 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (85 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (85 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (45 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 85 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Hanson specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Hanson is about 100 ft (30 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 lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), northern pike, smallmouth bass, burbot on Hanson.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 85 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Hanson 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.
Bullfrog 1 mi · Clam 1 mi · Link 1 mi · Gift 1 mi · Lunar 1 mi · Cherry 1 mi · Canoe 1 mi · Midas 1 mi · Totem 1 mi · Rabbit 1 mi · Fish 2 mi · Ester 2 mi
See how Hanson stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best lake trout lakes in Minnesota · best lake whitefish 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.