Minnesota · Aitkin County
Ball Bluff Lake Fishing guide
Ball Bluff Lake sits in Aitkin County, Minnesota, and covers 169 acres, reaching 78 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 15.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 18 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassJust a few3.5per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 35 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 20 fish
2024Lengths measured · 15 fish
2021Lengths measured · 25 fish
2011Lengths measured · 17 fish
2001Northern pikeJust a few4per gill net24"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 25 fish
2021Lengths measured · 28 fish
2011Lengths measured · 66 fish
2001Lengths measured · 61 fish
1997BluegillJust a few13.9per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 247 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 100 fish
2024Lengths measured · 147 fish
2021Lengths measured · 228 fish
2011Lengths measured · 151 fish
2001CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 7 fish
2024Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 9 fish
2021Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2011Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 15 fish
2001Rock bassFair numbers0.4per seine haul7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 2 fish
2024Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2021Lengths measured · 17 fish
2011Lengths measured · 4 fish
2001Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Ball Bluff Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 15.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 78 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. At 15.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 78 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | 15" | — |
| 2021 | 25" | 15" | 35" |
| 2011 | 26" | 16" | 33" |
| 2001 | 22" | 18" | 34" |
| 1997 | 22" | 12" | 32" |
| 1993 | 25" | 14" | 25" |
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
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A temperature - dissolved oxygen (TDO) profile was collected on 7/31/2025 to measure the amount of thermal habitat available for Tullibee. The TDO3 (temperature at 3 mg/l dissolved oxygen) was determined to be 11.0 degrees C, which is considered good for Tullibee survival. While water from the surface to about 13 feet was warm, overall oxy-thermal habitat was adequate for Tullibee from 13 feet deep to approximately 27 feet deep. Comparing profiles collected from 2009-2025 (excluding 2020), the least amount of available Tullibee habitat occurred in 2012, while all other years had better conditions. The lake provides "good" habitat compared to other lakes in the Aitkin management area monitored for Tullibee habitat. Because the management area is located near the southern edge of Minnesota's Tullibee range, TDO profiles should continue to be collected to monitor the availability of cold-water habitat.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Ball Bluff Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Ball Bluff 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
- Ball Bluff Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Ball Bluff Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Ball Bluff Lake · 37 ac · 0.5 mi
- Blackface Lake · 192 ac · 1.6 mi
- Vanduse Lake · 240 ac · 3.5 mi
- Hay Lake · 129 ac · 3.6 mi
- Boot Lake · 80 ac · 5.3 mi
- Wakefield Lake · 164 ac · 6.3 mi
- Savanna Lake · 101 ac · 7.5 mi
- Wolf Lake · 173 ac · 7.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Ball Bluff Lake?
Ball Bluff Lake reaches 78 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 25 ft; about 19% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Ball Bluff Lake?
Ball Bluff Lake covers 169 acres with about 2.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Ball Bluff Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Ball Bluff Lake average 15.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Ball Bluff Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Ball Bluff Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Ball Bluff Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Ball Bluff Lake have a public access?
Yes. Ball Bluff Lake has one public access site: Ball Bluff Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Ball Bluff Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Ball Bluff Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Ball Bluff Lake in 2025, the most recent of 18 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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