Minnesota · Pine County
Bass Lake Fishing guide
Bass Lake is a 229-acre lake in Pine County, Minnesota, reaching 24 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Just a few0.7per gill net17"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 16 fish
2019Lengths measured · 13 fish
2011Lengths measured · 2 fish
2006Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2001Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Largemouth bassFair numbers27.7per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 97 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 44 fish
2019Lengths measured · 53 fish
2011Lengths measured · 12 fish
2006Lengths measured · 37 fish
2001Northern pikeJust a few5.6per gill net18"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 106 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 33 fish
2019Lengths measured · 73 fish
2011Lengths measured · 34 fish
2006Lengths measured · 35 fish
2001BluegillJust a few3.5per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 66 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 33 fish
2019Lengths measured · 33 fish
2011Lengths measured · 109 fish
2006Lengths measured · 64 fish
2001CrappieJust a few2.6per trap net8"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 10 fish
2019Lengths measured · 47 fish
2011Lengths measured · 16 fish
2006Lengths measured · 50 fish
2001Rates 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.
- 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 65% 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.
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 65% 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.
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 | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 19" | 21" | 20" |
| 2011 | 20" | 22" | 25" |
| 2006 | 17" | 17" | 26" |
| 2001 | 16" | 25" | 31" |
| 1996 | 19" | 27" | 26" |
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 · 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
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 | 91 yearlings · 205 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
Bass Lake is a small, moderately fertile lake located in northeastern Kanabec and western Pine counties. Although much of the lake is less the 15 feet, water clarity is higher than most area lakes.
During the week of September 9, 2019 Bass Lake was surveyed to evaluate the present fish population. Sampling consisted of six gill net sets, nine trap net sets, and night electrofishing for largemouth bass.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye stocking ceased in 2015. Eleven walleye were caught during the survey ranging from 17 and 21.5 inches in length and four to eight years in age. Walleye currently provide a bonus opportunity to anglers targeting other fish species in Bass Lake.
The Northern Pike catch was 4.8 per set, a typical level compared to similar lakes. Northern size remains an issue. The average Pike was still 18.1 inches and 1.1 pounds. None of the pike sampled in the nets reached 21 inches in length, however they were relatively young with few fish exceeding three years of age.
One hour and twenty two minutes of electrofishing the night of June fifth sampled 39 Largemouth Bass, yielding a catch rate of 28.4 per hour. Bass ranged from 5.8 to 19.1 inches in length with more than half the catch exceeding 14 inches.
Compared to both similar lakes and prior Bass Lake assessments, Bluegill and Black Crappie numbers were low. However, half of the Bluegill captured exceeded 7.5 inches and half the Crappies surpassed the 10 inch mark.
In summary, Bass is a small lake with good water clarity that receives light angling pressure. A quality Largemouth Bass fishery is present with additional opportunity for smaller sized Northern Pike, larger than average Bluegill and Black Crappie with the occasional Walleye.
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
- Eleven Lake · 315 ac · 1.8 mi
- Pine Lake · 378 ac · 2.5 mi
- Grindstone Lake · 533 ac · 3 mi
- Upper Pine Lake · 233 ac · 3.1 mi
- Big Pine Lake · 399 ac · 3.8 mi
- Five Lake · 44 ac · 4.2 mi
- Indian Lake · 77 ac · 5.8 mi
- Fish Lake · 185 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bass Lake?
Bass Lake reaches 24 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12 ft; about 65% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Bass Lake?
Bass Lake covers 229 acres with about 3.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Bass Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Bass Lake average 6.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Bass Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025.
Does Bass Lake have a public access?
Yes. Bass Lake has one public access site: Bass Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Bass Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 20"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Bass Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Bass Lake in 2019, the most recent of 8 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Bass Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Bass Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report