Minnesota · Mahnomen County
Bass Lake Fishing guide
Bass Lake sits in Mahnomen County, Minnesota, and covers 735 acres, reaching 26 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 10 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.3per gill net17"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 32 fish
2022Lengths measured · 53 fish
2013Lengths measured · 14 fish
2005Lengths measured · 20 fish
1997Largemouth bassJust a few4.3per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2022Lengths measured · 40 fish
2013Lengths measured · 48 fish
2005Lengths measured · 20 fish
1997Smallmouth bassFair numbers9.4per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 45 fish
2022Lengths measured · 8 fish
2013Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
1997Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers10.7per gill net19"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 105 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 105 fish
2022Lengths measured · 122 fish
2013Lengths measured · 119 fish
2005Lengths measured · 110 fish
1997BluegillJust a few7.6per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 186 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 186 fish
2022Lengths measured · 234 fish
2013Lengths measured · 197 fish
2005Lengths measured · 240 fish
1997CrappieJust a few1.5per trap net10"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 27 fish
2022Lengths measured · 25 fish
2013Lengths measured · 18 fish
2005Lengths measured · 29 fish
1997Yellow perchFair numbers3.8per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 39 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 39 fish
2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2013Lengths measured · 86 fish
2005Lengths measured · 128 fish
1997Rates 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
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10 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.
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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 32" | 22" | 18" |
| 2013 | 34" | 27" | 12" |
| 2005 | 31" | 27" | — |
| 1997 | 35" | 28" | 11" |
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:
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
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
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 | 7,480 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,102 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 7,093 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,000 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 11,533 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Big Bass Lake was conducted on August 8, 2022 by Detroit Lakes Area Fisheries Staff. Data collected during this nearshore survey were combined with trap net and gill net data to calculate a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score for the lake.
The FIBI Tool-4 was used for scoring and resulted in a FIBI score of 57. The previous score for Big Bass Lake was 50 in July 2013. The impairment threshold score is 38, suggesting that the fish population in Big Bass Lake meets expectations for lakes of similar characteristics, and the lake is likely not biologically impaired. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Wild Rice River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
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
- South Twin Lake · 1,127 ac · 2.6 mi
- North Twin Lake · 966 ac · 3.2 mi
- Snider Lake · 634 ac · 4.3 mi
- Island Lake · 44 ac · 5 mi
- Sargent Lake · 138 ac · 5.2 mi
- Tulaby Lake · 832 ac · 5.2 mi
- Roy Lake · 695 ac · 6.6 mi
- McCraney Lake · 270 ac · 6.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bass Lake?
Bass Lake reaches 26 ft at its deepest point; about 40% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Bass Lake?
Bass Lake covers 735 acres with about 10.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Bass Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Bass Lake average 10 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Bass Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2018.
Does Bass Lake have a public access?
Yes. Bass Lake has one public access site: Bass Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Bass Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 32"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Bass Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Bass Lake in 2022, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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