Minnesota · Wright County
Augusta Lake Fishing guide
Augusta Lake sits in Wright County, Minnesota, and covers 187 acres, reaching 82 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.2per gill net20"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019Lengths measured · 10 fish
2019Lengths measured · 14 fish
2014Lengths measured · 10 fish
2005Lengths measured · 34 fish
1997Largemouth bassFair numbers22.6per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 72 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019Lengths measured · 40 fish
2019Lengths measured · 32 fish
2014Lengths measured · 27 fish
2005Lengths measured · 9 fish
1997Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers9.5per gill net22"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 109 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019Lengths measured · 72 fish
2019Lengths measured · 37 fish
2014Lengths measured · 88 fish
2005Lengths measured · 31 fish
1997BluegillJust a few13.4per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 290 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019Lengths measured · 206 fish
2019Lengths measured · 84 fish
2014Lengths measured · 260 fish
2005Lengths measured · 136 fish
1997CrappieJust a few4.4per trap net9"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 91 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019Lengths measured · 51 fish
2019Lengths measured · 40 fish
2014Lengths measured · 37 fish
2005Lengths measured · 50 fish
1997Yellow perchFair numbers3.5per gill net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019Lengths measured · 40 fish
2019Lengths measured · 1 fish
2014Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2005Lengths measured · 145 fish
1997Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Augusta Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. On a lake that drops to 82 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 82 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 21" | 19" | 32" |
| 2014 | 29" | 18" | 33" |
| 2005 | 27" | 16" | 36" |
| 1997 | 26" | 18" | 31" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 200 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
Augusta Lake is a 177 acre lake located on the Clearwater River near the town of South Haven in Wright County. The lake has a maximum depth of 82 feet and good water clarity; Secchi depth was 7.0 feet in early July and MPCA data show a ten year summer average of 6.6 feet. The watershed is large and land use is primarily agriculture with some pasture. There is no public boat access, but the lake can be reached from nearby Clearwater Lake. Anglers can expect good fishing for Northern Pike and panfish. The last survey was in 2014.
Emergent plants are common in the lake, primarily cattails. Submerged vegetation is abundant, but has not been surveyed recently. Eurasian watermilfoil and zebra mussels (invasive species) are present and boaters should take extra precautions to prevent their spread to other lakes.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike numbers were above the expected range of values for lakes similar to Augusta and much higher than 2015. Lengths ranged from 17.6 inches to 32.0 inches with an average length and weight of 22.4 inches and 2.4 pounds. Eleven percent of Northern Pike were 26 inches or longer.
Largemouth Bass were sampled by day time electrofishing on June 3rd. The catch (21.2/hour) was well below the Sauk Rapids average (43/hour), but similar to 2014 (25/hour). Bass size was good; lengths ranged from 7.1 to 19.7 inches with an average length of 14.4 inches. Fifty percent were 15 inches or longer.
Walleye are not stocked in Augusta Lake but likely immigrate from Clearwater Lake. The Walleye catch was low, but within the expected range of values for lakes similar to Augusta and close to past results. Lengths ranged from 14.4 to 21.9 inches with an average length and weight of 19.5 inches and 2.4 pounds.
Bluegill numbers were higher than 2014 but within the expected range of values for similar lakes. Bluegill lengths ranged from 3.2 to 8.7 inches with an average length of 5.2 inches. Two percent of Bluegill caught were eight inches or longer. Black Crappie numbers were higher than 2014 and within the expected range of values. Black Crappie lengths ranged from 3.2 to 13.5 inches with an average length of 7.9 inches. Forty-six percent of Black Crappie were 10 inches or longer.
The Yellow Perch catch rate was much higher than 2014 but within the expected range of values for lakes similar to Augusta. Lengths ranged from 4.9 to 7.6 inches with an average length of 5.6 inches. It seems surprising that both perch and pike numbers have increased since 2014.
Other species captured included: Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Cisco (Tullibee), Common Carp, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Augusta Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Augusta Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- DNR access
DNR bathymetry
Augusta Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Caroline Lake · 137 ac · 1.7 mi
- Otter Lake · 92 ac · 1.7 mi
- Clearwater Lake · 3,187 ac · 2.1 mi
- John Lake · 398 ac · 2.8 mi
- Marie Lake · 146 ac · 2.8 mi
- Pleasant Lake · 597 ac · 2.8 mi
- Grass Lake · 72 ac · 3.4 mi
- Bass Lake · 223 ac · 3.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Augusta Lake?
Augusta Lake reaches 82 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 24.9 ft; about 35% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Augusta Lake?
Augusta Lake covers 187 acres with about 4.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Augusta Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Augusta Lake average 5.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Augusta Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, channel catfish.
Is Augusta Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025.
Does Augusta Lake have a public access?
Yes. Augusta Lake has one public access site: DNR access.
How big do walleye get in Augusta Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Augusta Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Augusta Lake in 2019, the most recent of 6 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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