Minnesota · Cass County
Barnum Lake Fishing guide
Barnum Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 151 acres, reaching 30 ft at its deepest point. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 2 times, most recently in 2001, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets. That survey is 25 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
The DNR last surveyed Barnum Lake in 2001. Ratings need a survey from the last 20 years, so this page lists the species from that older record without numbers.
- Walleye
- Largemouth bass
- Smallmouth bass
- Northern pike
- Bluegill
- Crappie
- Yellow perch
- Rock bass
How to fish Barnum 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
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 2001 survey
Barnum Lake has an area of 134 acres and a maximum depth of 30 feet. About two-thirds of Barnum Lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Barnum Lake is located about nine miles east and three miles north of Hackensack, MN. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different lake classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Barnum Lake is in lake class 32. Lakes in this class generally have hard water, a large percentage of area 15 feet or less in depth and an irregular shoreline. Barnum Lake has no designated public access. Though most of the Barnum Lake shoreline is in private ownership, some of the shoreline is under Cass County or US Forest Service administration. Barnum Lake is managed primarily for largemouth and smallmouth bass and secondarily for northern pike, bluegill and black crappie. There is an abundant largemouth bass population present in a wide range of sizes of largemouth bass present in Barnum Lake, with fish up to 21.5 inches sampled. Smallmouth bass were not as abundant as largemouth, however fish up to 18 inches were found. Black crappie were abundant in the 2001 DNR sampling, and fish from 5 to11 inches were found. Northern pike were also abundant and the population had a good size structure. Numbers of bluegill present compares favorably with other lakes of this type. Though most bluegill sampled were small, there was a respectable number of fish 6 inches or greater. Pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, and yellow perch can provide action for panfish anglers on Barnum Lake as well. Anglers can help maintain or improve the quality of fishing by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest allows for the harvest of smaller fish for table fare, but encourages release of medium- to large-size fish. Releasing these fish can help maintain balance in the fish community in Barnum Lake and provide anglers with opportunities to catch more and larger fish in the future. Most of the land around Barnum Lake is privately owned. In 1988, a lake survey crew counted 28 lake homes around the shoreline, and by 2001 this number had increased to 40 homes. With increasing use of lakeshore areas by people, it is essential that shoreline areas be protected from degradation. Shoreline areas - on the land and into the shallow water - provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife that live in or near Minnesota's lakes. Overdeveloped shorelines can't support the fish, wildlife, and clean water that are associated with natural undeveloped lakes. The combined effects of all lakeshore owners fixing up their property can destroy a lake's valuable natural shorelines. Shoreline habitat consists of aquatic plants, woody plants and natural lake bottom soils. Plants in the water and at the water's edge provide habitat, prevent erosion and absorb excess nutrients. Shrubs, trees, and woody debris such as fallen trees or limbs provide good habitat both above and below the water and should be left in place. Natural lake bottom materials like silt or gravel are more ecologically productive than pure sand trucked in for a swimming beach. A tidy lawn and a sandy beach make great spots for sunbathing and swimming but do little to provide habitat for fish and wildlife. By leaving a buffer strip of natural vegetation along the shoreline, property owners can reduce erosion, help maintain water quality, and provide habitat and travel corridors for wildlife. Only if more lakeshore owners manage their shoreline in a natural condition can fish and wildlife populations on Minnesota lakes remain healthy and abundant. More specific information on protecting or restoring shorelines and watersheds is available through DNR Fisheries offices.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Barnum Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Barnum 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.
DNR bathymetry
Barnum Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Man Lake · 491 ac · 1.1 mi
- McKeown Lake · 168 ac · 1.4 mi
- Moccasin Lake · 272 ac · 2 mi
- Hazel Lake · 15 ac · 2.2 mi
- Baby Lake · 737 ac · 2.2 mi
- Child Lake · 285 ac · 2.4 mi
- Silver Lake · 121 ac · 2.5 mi
- Woman Lake · 5,520 ac · 2.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Barnum Lake?
Barnum Lake reaches 30 ft at its deepest point; about 56% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Barnum Lake?
Barnum Lake covers 151 acres with about 4.5 miles of shoreline.
What fish are in Barnum Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2001) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Barnum Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Barnum Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
When was Barnum Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Barnum Lake in 2001, the most recent of 2 surveys on record. That is more than 20 years ago, so this page lists species without ratings.
Page updated .
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