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5-acre reservoir near Rock County. The lake tops out around 12 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Hills Reservoir maps at 5 acres behind 0.4 miles of shoreline. At index 1.2 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. It sits in Rock County. If the bite dies, Lake Pahoja is 11 mi to the southwest.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
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 | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 12 ft covers summer, 4 to 12 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 10 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 4 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 5 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
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 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 4 to 12 ft game here, winter a 4 to 12 ft one. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait 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 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Dock / pier line (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 4 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 10 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
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 8 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, bluegill slide up into 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 10 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig 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 | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Dock / pier line (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Dock / pier line (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Hills Reservoir also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), channel catfish (4 to 12 ft in summer), black bullhead (2 to 12 ft in summer), green sunfish (2 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 10 ft, is the deepest of them.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Bluegill Sunfish (adults) | 160 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Hills Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Hills Reservoir is about 12 ft (4 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, channel catfish, black bullhead, green sunfish on Hills Reservoir.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, Hills Reservoir was most recently stocked 2025 with 160 bluegill sunfish (adults). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Hills Reservoir 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.
Lake Pahoja 11 mi, IA · Alvin Lake 14 mi, SD · South Mound Springs 16 mi · Big Sioux River 18 mi, SD · Rock Valley Pit 22 mi, IA · Split Rock Reservoir 26 mi · Wall Lake 30 mi, SD · Corabelle 37 mi · Bella 37 mi · Okabena 38 mi · Wilson 39 mi · Ocheda 39 mi
See how Hills Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
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.