Minnesota · Becker County
Bass Lake Fishing guide
Bass Lake covers 204 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 28 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 10.2 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.5per gill net19"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 35 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 35 fish
2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2014Lengths measured · 18 fish
2008Lengths measured · 27 fish
2003Largemouth bassPresent0.4per trap net14"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 13 fish
2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2014Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 25 fish
2008Lengths measured · 11 fish
2003Northern pikeGood numbers12.7per gill net24"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 77 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 77 fish
2025Lengths measured · 83 fish
2014Lengths measured · 72 fish
2008Lengths measured · 58 fish
2003BluegillGood numbers61.1per trap net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 720 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 720 fish
2025Lengths measured · 181 fish
2014Lengths measured · 402 fish
2008Lengths measured · 125 fish
2003CrappieJust a few1per trap net7"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 23 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 23 fish
2025Lengths measured · 21 fish
2014Lengths measured · 38 fish
2008Lengths measured · 23 fish
2003Yellow perchExcellent numbers15.5per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 101 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 101 fish
2025Lengths measured · 74 fish
2014Lengths measured · 69 fish
2008Lengths measured · 54 fish
2003No 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 Bass Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.2 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10.2 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26" | 32" | 16" |
| 2014 | 26" | 34" | 19" |
| 2008 | 23" | 27" | 15" |
| 2003 | 26" | 30" | 15" |
| 1998 | 26" | 30" | 8" |
| 1993 | 25" | 30" | 15" |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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 | 419 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 4,720 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 2,070 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 6,195 fingerlings · 117 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Bass Lake is a 204-acre, class-29 lake located in northeastern Becker County approximately 10 miles north of Ponsford, MN. The lake lies within the boundaries of the White Earth Indian Reservation and is within the Mississippi River watershed. The lake's shoreline is lightly developed, with ten homes or cottages and one small resort. The public access is county-owned and has very limited parking. Shoal areas are heavily vegetated with muskgrass, bushy pondweeds, and yellow and white waterlilies. A standard fisheries survey was completed in July 2025 to assess the fish populations in Bass Lake.
Anglers will find a decent number of Northern Pike in Bass Lake and these fish are better than averaged sized compared to other lakes in the Detroit Lakes work area. The catch rate of Northern Pike in the 2025 survey was the third highest observed at Bass Lake. The average size of the pike captured was 24.5 inches and the longest was 32 inches. Walleye numbers were the highest ever recorded at the lake with 5.5 Walleye per gill net. Average size was quite good with almost 94% of the Walleye captured in 2025 being over 15 inches and 45% were over 20 inches. Bluegill numbers were high for the lake and most of the fish were small. No fish over eight inches were caught in trap nets and 98% of the fish were less than seven inches. The longest Bluegill measured was just below eight inches. Black Crappie and Largemouth Bass were captured in low numbers in the trap nets, which is often the case with this sampling gear. Black Crappie up to 13.5 inches were measured and Largemouth Bass up to 16 inches were captured. Other fish species observed were Pumpkinseed, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Bass Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Bass 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
- Bass Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Bass Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Bad Medicine Lake · 803 ac · 1.5 mi
- Juggler Lake · 429 ac · 4.3 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 143 ac · 5 mi
- Cox Lake · 61 ac · 5.2 mi
- Boot Lake · 385 ac · 5.6 mi
- Long Lost Lake · 539 ac · 5.7 mi
- Many Point Lake · 1,701 ac · 8.3 mi
- Elbow Lake · 995 ac · 8.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bass Lake?
Bass Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point; about 56% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Bass Lake?
Bass Lake covers 204 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Bass Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Bass Lake average 10.2 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Bass Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Bass Lake have a public access?
Yes. Bass Lake has one public access site: Bass Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Bass Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Bass Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Bass Lake in 2025, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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