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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
186-acre lake near Cook County. The lake tops out around 26 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Horseshoe runs 186 acres with 9.8 miles of edge. An index of 5.1 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. About 98% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 2.2 mi long by 1 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Cook County. For a second option, Vista lies 1 mi south.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 26 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 26 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 22 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 26 ft game here, winter an 8 to 26 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with 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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 26 ft before dropping to 8 to 26 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
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 | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring pumpkinseed on Horseshoe hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 18 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 22 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 Horseshoe specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Horseshoe is about 26 ft (8 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, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed on Horseshoe.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Fishing on Horseshoe 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.
Vista 1 mi · Caribou 1 mi · Swamp 1 mi · Allen 1 mi · Lizz 2 mi · Jackal 2 mi · Misquah 2 mi · Night Hawk 2 mi · Lux 2 mi · Prune 2 mi · Gaskin 3 mi · Road 3 mi
See how Horseshoe stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Cook County fishing maps (351 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.