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Fishing South McDougal: what the data says
285-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 7 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Walleye fishing at South McDougal
Spring walleye on South McDougal hold shallow, usually 2 to 7 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Yellow Perch fishing at South McDougal
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 2 to 7 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at South McDougal
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at South McDougal
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Bluegill fishing at South McDougal
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish settle into 2 to 7 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Pumpkinseed fishing at South McDougal
Start shallow in spring: pumpkinseed sit in 1 to 7 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 1 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring pumpkinseed. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Tie on a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 7 ft | midday & dusk | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 1 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | dusk & dawn | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
South McDougal also holds burbot (2 to 7 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Main-lake point: point, around 7 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 7 ft
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 6 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is South McDougal?
South McDougal is about 7 ft 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.
What fish are in South McDougal?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch, burbot, pumpkinseed on South McDougal.
Where is the best fishing spot on South McDougal?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish South McDougal?
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.
Nearby waters
Middle McDougal · Fourth McDougal · North McDougal · Wadop · Campers · Stony
See how South McDougal stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota
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