Minnesota · Polk County
Badger Lake Fishing guide
Badger Lake sits in Polk County, Minnesota, and covers 256 acres, reaching 19 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 8.2 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2016, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 10 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeGood numbers12per gill net18"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 33 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 33 fish
2016Lengths measured · 27 fish
2010Lengths measured · 45 fish
2002BluegillLast stocked 2024Just a few15.7per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 141 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 141 fish
2016Lengths measured · 5 fish
2010Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2002Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No recent survey rating.
Rates 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 Badger Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 29" | 13" | 10" |
| 2010 | 33" | — | — |
| 2002 | 33" | 9" | 4" |
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:
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
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 | 260,000 fry |
| 2024 | Bluegill Sunfish | 100 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 259,983 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 325,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 260,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2016 survey
Badger Lake is a marginal fish lake on the northern edge of Erskine, MN. The lake has a history of winter kills and abundant populations of Northern Pike and Black Bullhead. Following winterkills, the lake re-populates with Northern Pike and other fish species by immigration via County Ditch 73 or other channels. Pump and baffle aeration, begun in 1990, was discontinued in 2006 due to the lack of access to locations with good lake depth and electrical power. Since then, the City of Erskine annually operates two surface agitator units in Badger Lake, reducing the potential for winterkill. The City incurs all costs associated with the operation. DNR Fisheries crews monitor dissolved oxygen occasionally (usually in late winter) to evaluate the likelyhood of winterkill.
Although bullheads remained present in 2016, net catches have certainly declined in the past decade. Northern Pike abundance in 2016 was similar to the 2010 survey at 12 pike per gill net. The average size of Northern Pike was up slightly from the 2010 survey and above the historical average. Pike averaged 2.1 pounds, with the largest Northern Pike sampled being 29.3 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Bluegill numbers in Badger Lake have increased to a historic high in 2016. Although the average size of 5.1 inches was at an all time low, the largest Bluegill sampled was 9.5 inches.
Walleye numbers have historically been low in Badger Lake and sustained by fry stocking. Three Walleye were sampled in 2016 which is a historic high. Yellow Perch numbers remained at the long term average of 3.5 fish per net and had an average size of 7 inches.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Badger Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Badger 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
- Badger Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Badger Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Cameron Lake · 225 ac · 1.1 mi
- Sarah Lake · 366 ac · 4.9 mi
- Crystal Lake · 118 ac · 5.5 mi
- Union Lake · 888 ac · 6.4 mi
- Maple Lake · 1,641 ac · 7.3 mi
- Hill River Lake · 102 ac · 9.6 mi
- Store Lake · 50 ac · 11.8 mi
- Perch Lake · 84 ac · 16.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Badger Lake?
Badger Lake reaches 19 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Badger Lake?
Badger Lake covers 256 acres with about 3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Badger Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Badger Lake average 8.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Badger Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2016) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Badger Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Badger Lake have a public access?
Yes. Badger Lake has one public access site: Badger Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Badger Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2002.
When was Badger Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Badger Lake in 2016, the most recent of 5 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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