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65-acre lake near Itasca County. The lake tops out around 32 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Drawn out, this is 65 acres of water rimmed by 1.8 miles of bank. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 58% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.8 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. You'll find it in Itasca County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Hanson, 1 mi south of here.
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 8 to 32 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 10 to 32 ft, winter 10 to 32 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 27 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic 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 | 8 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring yellow perch on Middle Hanson hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 32 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
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 (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| 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 | Break off the point (14 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (14 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 |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 10 to 32 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 4 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait 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 | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, rock bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 5 to 20 ft game here, winter a 12 to 30 ft one. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run the evening. Keep a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 32 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 27 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small 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 | 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 | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Middle Hanson 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 27 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Middle Hanson specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Middle Hanson is about 32 ft (10 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 cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Middle Hanson.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 Middle 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.
Hanson 1 mi · Murphy 1 mi · Lower Hanson 2 mi · Upper Hanson 2 mi · Inkey 3 mi · Little Wabana 3 mi · Clearwater 3 mi · Wabana 3 mi · Lawrence 4 mi · Lower Lawrence 4 mi · Big Rainbarrel 4 mi · Moonshine 4 mi
See how Middle Hanson stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Itasca County fishing maps (371 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.