Minnesota · Cass County
Bass Lake Fishing guide
Bass Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 195 acres, reaching 55 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 21 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers43.9per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 138 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 137 fish
2023Lengths measured · 1 fish
2023Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 79 fish
2012Lengths measured · 2 fish
2005Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few5.5per gill net19"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 39 fish
2023Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 67 fish
2012Lengths measured · 38 fish
2005BluegillJust a few11per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 202 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 150 fish
2023Lengths measured · 52 fish
2023Lengths measured · 62 fish
2012Lengths measured · 645 fish
2005CrappieJust a few1.9per trap net8"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 34 fish
2023Lengths measured · 6 fish
2023Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 25 fish
2012Lengths measured · 15 fish
2005Rock bassExcellent numbers11.5per hr (electrofishing)6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 16 fish
2023Lengths measured · 4 fish
2023Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 15 fish
2012Lengths measured · 16 fish
2005Rates 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
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 21 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 55 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 21 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 55 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 19" | 31" | 16" |
| 2012 | 18" | 24" | — |
| 2005 | 13" | 28" | 18" |
| 1995 | 7" | 27" | — |
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:
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
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 2023 survey
Bass Lake is a 194 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 55', located six miles north of Outing in Cass County. Bass is in the Mississippi River-Grand Rapids watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Ten 100' long sampling stations were evenly spaced around the lakeshore. Each station was then sampled by backpack electrofishing, and if conditions allowed with a 15' or 50' 1/8th inch seine.
The survey took place July 25, 2023, with all 10 stations sampled by backpack electrofishing. The 50' 1/8th inch seine was used at 6 stations and the 15' 1/8th inch seine was used at an additional 4 stations. Sixteen species were sampled, including 5 species that are intolerant of habitat disturbance: Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mottled Sculpin, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. This nearshore survey will be used along with the gill net and trap net survey conducted on June 20-22, 2023, to calculate a Fish-Based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health by the types of fish species present and comparing it to what is expected for this type of lake.
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
- Big Bass Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Bass Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Washburn Lake · 1,590 ac · 3 mi
- Thunder Lake · 1,347 ac · 3.2 mi
- George Lake · 613 ac · 3.7 mi
- Margaret Lake · 18 ac · 4 mi
- Island Lake · 358 ac · 4.2 mi
- Little Bass Lake · 136 ac · 4.3 mi
- Marion Lake · 12 ac · 4.3 mi
- Mitten Lake · 113 ac · 5.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bass Lake?
Bass Lake reaches 55 ft at its deepest point; about 22% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Bass Lake?
Bass Lake covers 195 acres with about 3.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Bass Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Bass Lake average 21 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Bass Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Bass Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Bass Lake have a public access?
Yes. Bass Lake has one public access site: Big Bass Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Bass Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Bass Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Bass Lake in 2023, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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