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260-acre lake near Itasca County. The lake tops out around 20 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Horseshoe runs 260 acres with 3.2 miles of edge. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. 92% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 1 mi, about 0.7 mi across. You'll find it in Itasca County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Mike, 1 mi south of here.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 7 ft that scores prime in fall. 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (7 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
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 | Break off the point (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (7 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 6 to 20 ft before dropping to 6 to 20 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 6 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring rock bass on Horseshoe hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 6 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 20 ft before dropping to 6 to 20 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Horseshoe also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Horseshoe carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 20 ft down.
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 20 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Horseshoe.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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.
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.
Mike 1 mi · Bello 1 mi · Lundeen 2 mi · Grass 2 mi · Rice 2 mi · Maple 2 mi · Lauchoh 3 mi · Turtle 3 mi · Jingo 3 mi · Hatch 3 mi · Johnson 3 mi · Bevo 3 mi
See how Horseshoe stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Itasca County fishing maps (371 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.