Minnesota · St. Louis County
Bassett Lake Fishing guide
Bassett Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 403 acres, reaching 21 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Excellent numbers8.1per gill net15"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 74 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 4 fish
2023Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 74 fish
2022Lengths measured · 1 fish
2021Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 20 fish
2020Largemouth bassJust a few15.7per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 25 fish
2022Lengths measured · 6 fish
2016Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 20 fish
2011Lengths measured · 37 fish
2006Northern pikeFair numbers6.8per gill net20"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 65 fish
2022Lengths measured · 33 fish
2016Lengths measured · 56 fish
2011Lengths measured · 43 fish
2006BluegillJust a few9.1per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 134 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 134 fish
2022Lengths measured · 245 fish
2016Lengths measured · 142 fish
2011Lengths measured · 983 fish
2006CrappieJust a few1.4per trap net6"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 62 fish
2022Lengths measured · 26 fish
2016Lengths measured · 29 fish
2011Lengths measured · 32 fish
2006Yellow perchExcellent numbers22.6per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 209 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 209 fish
2022Lengths measured · 517 fish
2016Lengths measured · 272 fish
2011Lengths measured · 1158 fish
2006Rates 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 Bassett 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 11" | — | — |
| 2022 | 28" | 31" | 17" |
| 2021 | 6" | — | — |
| 2020 | 9" | — | — |
| 2018 | 10" | — | — |
| 2017 | 8" | — | — |
| 2016 | 26" | 30" | 14" |
| 2011 | 29" | 40" | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,092 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 6,644 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 4,674 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 9,280 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Bassett Lake was conducted on August 21st-August 22nd, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 1/8" mesh mini-fyke net was used to sample 10 stations. Finally, a 50-foot seine was used to sample three stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at three stations. Nearshore sampling captured 16 species of fish.
The nearshore data along with gill net and standard trap net data will be used to develop fish community models for Northeast Minnesota lakes, which will be used to measure lake health. These models may function similarly to fish IBI models developed for lakes across much of the rest of the state. For additional information, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. You can help protect the fish community in Bassett Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Bassett Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Bassett 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
- Bassett Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Bassett Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Cadotte Lake · 294 ac · 0.7 mi
- Salo Lake · 141 ac · 4.5 mi
- Wolf Lake · 456 ac · 7 mi
- Indian Lake · 57 ac · 7 mi
- Harris Lake · 68 ac · 7.8 mi
- Pine Lake · 450 ac · 8.3 mi
- Seven Beaver Lake · 1,414 ac · 9.9 mi
- Little Stone Lake · 169 ac · 10 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bassett Lake?
Bassett Lake reaches 21 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12.9 ft; about 49% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Bassett Lake?
Bassett Lake covers 403 acres with about 5.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Bassett Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Bassett Lake average 7.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Bassett Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Bassett Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Bassett Lake have a public access?
Yes. Bassett Lake has one public access site: Bassett Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Bassett Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2011.
When was Bassett Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Bassett Lake in 2025, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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