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82-acre lake near Douglas County. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1966, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, North Union draws 82 acres inside 2.7 miles of shoreline. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2.1) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 66% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 0.9 mi long by 0.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Douglas County. For a second option, Stony lies 0 mi south.
Spring cisco (lake herring) on North Union hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 12 to 40 ft in summer, 12 to 40 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 40 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (40 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 25 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run 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 (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Back-bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring rock bass on North Union hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 4 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in 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 (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
North Union also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
North Union carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 40 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 North Union specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
North Union is about 40 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1966, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, common carp on North Union.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 40 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 North Union 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.
Stony 0 mi · Lottie 1 mi · Brophy 1 mi · Cowdrey,Lake 1 mi · Louise 1 mi · Lake Darling 2 mi · Charley 2 mi · Mina 3 mi · Henry 3 mi · Latoka 3 mi · Winona 3 mi · Agnes 3 mi
See how North Union stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Douglas County fishing maps (64 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.