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1,368-acre lake near Cannon Falls. The lake tops out around 50 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1958, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 1,357 acres, worked by 14.5 miles of shoreline, broken up by 3 islands. The 2.8 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 66% of this chart. The basin spans about 3.6 mi end to end and 1.4 mi across at its widest. Dakota County claims this one. If the bite dies, Cannon River is 5 mi to the south.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (30 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (30 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Shallow feeding flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 20 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (50 ft) |
Spring crappie on Lake Byllesby hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 4 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Dock / pier line (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Dock / pier line (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (50 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring northern pike on Lake Byllesby hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 4 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, freshwater drum slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 45 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 50 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run the evening. Keep a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (50 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Come spring, look for common carp tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 3 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (50 ft) |
Lake Byllesby also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), white bass (8 to 25 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), flathead catfish (8 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 50 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Lake Byllesby specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Lake Byllesby is about 50 ft (15 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1958, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target walleye, channel catfish, crappie, northern pike, freshwater drum, common carp, bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass, white bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, flathead catfish on Lake Byllesby.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Lake Byllesby 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.
Cannon River 5 mi · Lyman 9 mi · Prairie Ponds 11 mi · Chub 12 mi · Ann 13 mi · Vermillion River 15 mi, MN/WI · Vermillion River - Clear 16 mi · Mississippi River Pool 3 (Hastings to Red Wing) 16 mi, MN/WI · Mississippi River - Spring 17 mi · Rebecca 17 mi · Cobblestone 17 mi · Union 17 mi
See how Lake Byllesby stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best white bass lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Dakota County fishing maps (32 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.