Guide to Fishing the Minnesota Lakes

Whether you know where you plan to fish and just want some more information, or you are looking for a lake to fish but first want to see what fish are in the lake, check out the "Lake Finder" feature on the website of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (see Resources). In addition to the species of fish in the lakes, you can see such things as water depth and clarity.

Minnesota has a wide variety of lake types. The northeast part of the state is home to deep, clear and cool water with abundant rocks, rather than vegetation, on the lake bottoms. These lakes are home to species such as smallmouth bass, walleyes and trout. The central part of the state, meanwhile, has slightly shallower and more fertile lakes. These are good places to look for panfish, walleyes, largemouth bass and northern pike. In the southern part of the state, the lakes are generally shallow and warm, with abundant vegetation. Walleyes, panfish and largemouth bass are the primary species in this area.

The state has an abundance of lakes, but some are especially well-known for their size and productivity. Some of them, with primary fish species noted, include: Lake of the Woods (walleyes, muskies, smallmouth bass); Leech Lake (walleyes, muskies); Lake Vermilion (walleyes, muskies); Lake Winnibigoshish (walleyes, perch); Upper Red Lake (walleyes and northern pike); Lake Mille Lacs (walleyes, muskies); and Lake Minnetonka (bass, walleyes, muskies). Fish species such as panfish and crappies can be found in many lakes in the state. While the lakes referenced above are some of the more well-known lakes in Minnesota, smaller, more obscure lakes can provide fantastic fishing, without the crowds.

Throughout most of the fishing season, weedlines are good places to catch a wide variety of fish species, from panfish to walleyes, northern pike to bass. Anglers who cast lead-head jigs tipped with live bait like leeches, nightcrawlers, or minnows along the weedline can catch a mixed bag of fish. The depth at which the deep weedline occurs depends on the clarity of the water and in clear-water lakes, could be found at 20 feet or deeper.

The lakes are one of the most attractive features of Minnesota. As a result, tourists and residents alike enjoy spending time on the lakes, especially when the days are warm and sunny during the summer. On these days large, populated lakes can become busy with pleasure and recreational boaters. The situation can make fish reluctant to bite, so it is best to look to smaller, less busy lakes on these days. If you do not have a choice but to fish on a busy lake, consider fishing early in the morning or later in the evening, including after dark. And if that does not work for you, look around drop-offs, underwater humps and other deep-water structure. Fish in these areas are less sensitive to fishing and boating pressure.

The lakes in Minnesota are locked in ice for five months or more every year. While some fishermen hang up their rods once the ice goes on, others simply change their equipment and fish atop the ice. This requires smaller, lighter rods, reels and line. But the fishing action can be good. Fish around any green vegetation that remains in the lake, around underwater humps and around drop-offs during the winter. Walleyes, northern pike, crappies and sunfish are the most commonly pursued species in the winter.