Minnesota · St. Louis County
Ban Lake Fishing guide
Ban Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 389 acres, reaching 10 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassPresent0.4per trap net12"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 48 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 48 fish
2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2019Lengths measured · 10 fish
2012Lengths measured · 66 fish
2005Northern pikeJust a few1.7per gill net24"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 21 fish
2025Lengths measured · 35 fish
2019Lengths measured · 35 fish
2012Lengths measured · 21 fish
2005BluegillJust a few22.6per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 223 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 223 fish
2025Lengths measured · 139 fish
2019Lengths measured · 95 fish
2012Lengths measured · 29 fish
2005CrappieJust a few2.6per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 41 fish
2025Lengths measured · 36 fish
2019Lengths measured · 59 fish
2012Lengths measured · 12 fish
2005No 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 Ban 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. 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 10-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 10-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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23" | 17" | 16" |
| 2019 | 26" | 16" | 17" |
| 2012 | 23" | 16" | 13" |
| 2005 | 25" | 15" | 15" |
| 2000 | 22" | 16" | 17" |
| 1993 | 19" | 16" | 16" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Smallmouth bass · Hardbaits
Walk-the-Dog Topwater
4–4.5" walk-the-dog topwater
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned 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 | 194,500 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 194,500 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 194,500 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 194,500 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 194,500 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 400,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 400,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 414,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 400,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Ban Lake is located approximately seven miles east of Orr, Minnesota. This 389-acre lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet and dark tannin-stained water. A fisheries survey was completed on Ban Lake in 2025 as part of a regular rotation of surveys in the International Falls Fisheries Management Area.
Ban Lake follows statewide regulations for inland waters. Northern Pike regulations follow the North-East zone regulation. Previous management plans identify several long-range goals, including providing a self-sustaining fish community with Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass and Bluegill as the primary management species.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye gill net catch rate was 0.44 fish per net, which was below average compared to similar lakes. The catch rate was below the management goal of at least 3.0 fish per net for Ban Lake. Total length ranged from 20.0 to 23.3 inches with an average length of 21.6 inches. Average weight was 3.8 pounds, which was above average compared to similar lakes due to only larger individuals being caught. Only two year-classes were present, and ages ranged from 6 to 7 years.
Forty-eight Largemouth Bass were sampled during the survey. Total length ranged from 7.7 to 17.5 inches with an average length of 12.7 inches. Average length of Largemouth Bass at age 4 was 10.1 inches, a rate greater than other lakes in area. A total of six year-classes were present and ages ranged from 3 to 8 years. A strong year-class from 2019 was present and accounted for approximately 40% of the total catch. With good numbers of 12-to-17-inch Largemouth Bass, Ban Lake provides a good opportunity for anglers targeting Largemouth Bass.
Smallmouth Bass catch rate was lower than Largemouth but large and healthy individuals were captured. Total length ranged from 11.9 to 16.7 inches with an average length of 14.2 inches. Average weight of Smallmouth Bass was 1.5 pounds, well above the average in the area. A total of five year-classes were present and ages ranged from 8 to 13 years. With good numbers of 12-to-16-inch Smallmouth Bass, Ban Lake provides a good opportunity for anglers targeting Smallmouth Bass.
Bluegill trap net catch rate was 22.5 fish per net, which was well above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 3.8 to 9.2 inches with an average length of 6.7 inches. Average weight was 0.27 pounds, which was above average compared to similar lakes. A total of ten year-classes were present and ages ranged from 2 to 11 years. A strong year-class from 2017 was present and accounted for one-third of the total catch, mean length of these Bluegill was 7.1 inches. With above average catch rates and a good size structure, Ban Lake provides an excellent opportunity for anglers targeting Bluegill.
Northern Pike gill net catch rate was 1.67 per net. Total length ranged from 16.6 to 38.2 inches with an average length of 26.4 inches. Average weight was 4.1 pounds, well above average compared to similar lakes. A total of seven year-classes were present and ages ranged from 2 to 8 years. With a large size structure, Ban Lake provides a good fishing opportunity for anglers targeting Northern Pike.
Black Crappie trap net catch rate was 2.5 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 4.4 to 10.4 inches with an average length of 7.8 inches. Average weight was 0.28 pounds, which was slightly above average compared to similar lakes. A total of seven year-classes were present and ages ranged from 2 to 8 years. Strong year-classes from 2018 and 2019 were present and accounted for 60% of the total catch. With above average catch rates and a good size structure, Ban Lake provides an excellent opportunity for anglers targeting Black Crappie.
Other species sampled during this survey included Yellow Perch, Golden Shiner, and White Sucker.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Ban Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Ban 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
- Ban Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Ban Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Elbow Lake · 1,695 ac · 2.2 mi
- Myrtle Lake · 876 ac · 2.7 mi
- Susan Lake · 276 ac · 4 mi
- Winchester Lake · 319 ac · 4.6 mi
- Clear Lake · 145 ac · 5.4 mi
- Kjostad Lake · 437 ac · 5.4 mi
- Bell Lake · 110 ac · 6 mi
- Moose Lake · 929 ac · 6.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Ban Lake?
Ban Lake reaches 10 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Ban Lake?
Ban Lake covers 389 acres with about 7.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Ban Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Ban Lake average 5.1 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Ban Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Ban Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Ban Lake have a public access?
Yes. Ban Lake has one public access site: Ban Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Ban Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Ban Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Ban Lake in 2025, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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