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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
54-acre lake near Aitkin County. The lake tops out around 84 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Traced from the shoreline, Taylor runs 54 acres with 1.3 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Roughly 23% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 0.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.3 mi at the beam. The water lies in Aitkin County. For a second option, Previs lies 4 mi northwest.
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, good in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (38 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 38 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (38 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 71 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (38 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (71 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (71 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Taylor carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 71 ft down.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Brook Trout (yearlings) | 2,000 | — |
| 2025* | Rainbow Trout (adults) | 50 | — |
| 2025* | Rainbow Trout (yearlings) | 44 | — |
| 2025* | Rainbow Trout (fingerlings) | 5,010 | — |
| 2025* | Rainbow Trout (adults) | 20 | — |
| 2025* | Rainbow Trout (yearlings) | 1,500 | — |
| 2024* | Brook Trout (yearlings) | 2,000 | — |
| 2024* | Rainbow Trout (adults) | 27 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-09-11.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Taylor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Taylor is about 84 ft (26 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 brook trout, rainbow trout, cisco (lake herring) on Taylor.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 71 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, Taylor was most recently stocked 2025 with 2,000 brook trout (yearlings). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Taylor 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.
Previs 4 mi · Hill (South Basin) 4 mi · Hill (North Basin) 4 mi · Split Hand 5 mi · Chamberlin 5 mi · Mountain Ash 5 mi · Dinner Pail 5 mi · Bible 6 mi · Little Split Hand 6 mi · Smith 8 mi · Little Cowhorn 9 mi · Carlson 9 mi
See how Taylor stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Minnesota · best brook trout lakes in Minnesota · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Aitkin County fishing maps (110 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.