Minnesota · Itasca County
Bear Lake Fishing guide
Bear Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 344 acres, reaching 16 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3.7 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers1.9per gill net21"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 18 fish
2025Lengths measured · 24 fish
2018Lengths measured · 25 fish
2012Lengths measured · 34 fish
2005Northern pikeFair numbers6.4per gill net19"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 67 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 67 fish
2025Lengths measured · 52 fish
2018Lengths measured · 23 fish
2012Lengths measured · 66 fish
2005BluegillJust a few10.9per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 99 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 99 fish
2025Lengths measured · 307 fish
2018Lengths measured · 55 fish
2012Lengths measured · 59 fish
2005CrappieJust a few5.9per trap net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 95 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 95 fish
2025Lengths measured · 126 fish
2018Lengths measured · 41 fish
2012Lengths measured · 38 fish
2005Yellow perchFair numbers1.2per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 19 fish
2025Lengths measured · 53 fish
2018Lengths measured · 102 fish
2012Lengths measured · 175 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 Bear Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.7 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 78% 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. A 16-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 3.7 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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. With 78% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 16-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | 29" | 38" | — |
| 2018 | 28" | 29" | 7" |
| 2012 | 25" | 35" | — |
| 2005 | 25" | 35" | — |
| 1997 | 20" | 31" | 2" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | 234,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 134,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 328,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 328,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Bear Lake, was conducted on July 15th-16th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample all 10 stations. Nearshore sampling captured 10 species of fish including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Rock Bass) and no species tolerant of disturbance.
The nearshore data was combined with gill net and trap net data from a June 2025 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead and Fathead Minnow). 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.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Bear Lake is healthy as indicated by a FIBI score above the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lake. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Little Fork River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Bear Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Bear Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Bear 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
- Bear Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Bear Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Bear Lake · 131 ac · 2.1 mi
- Wasson Lake · 438 ac · 4.8 mi
- Napoleon Lake · 138 ac · 5.1 mi
- Owen Lake · 268 ac · 5.5 mi
- Wilson Lake · 92 ac · 5.8 mi
- White Swan Lake · 165 ac · 6.2 mi
- Lost Lake · 89 ac · 6.5 mi
- Scooty Lake · 167 ac · 6.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bear Lake?
Bear Lake reaches 16 ft at its deepest point; about 78% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Bear Lake?
Bear Lake covers 344 acres with about 3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Bear Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Bear Lake average 3.7 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Bear Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Bear Lake have a public access?
Yes. Bear Lake has one public access site: Bear Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Bear Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Bear Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Bear Lake in 2025, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
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 Bear Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Bear Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report