Minnesota · Beltrami County
Beltrami Lake Fishing guide
Beltrami Lake sits in Beltrami County, Minnesota, and covers 726 acres, reaching 50 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 9.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1per gill net21"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2021Lengths measured · 14 fish
2016Lengths measured · 13 fish
2011Lengths measured · 157 fish
2000Largemouth bassFair numbers29.6per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 103 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 103 fish
2021Lengths measured · 74 fish
2016Lengths measured · 9 fish
2011Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 167 fish
2000Smallmouth bassJust a few2per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 110 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 110 fish
2021Lengths measured · 73 fish
2016Lengths measured · 62 fish
2011Northern pikeFair numbers6.1per gill net23"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 58 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 58 fish
2021Lengths measured · 31 fish
2016Lengths measured · 76 fish
2011Lengths measured · 75 fish
2000BluegillJust a few4per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 385 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 193 fish
2024Lengths measured · 192 fish
2021Lengths measured · 227 fish
2016Lengths measured · 325 fish
2011CrappieJust a few0.3per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 95 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 95 fish
2021Lengths measured · 27 fish
2016Lengths measured · 68 fish
2011Lengths measured · 20 fish
2000Yellow perchGood numbers5.4per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 53 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 53 fish
2021Lengths measured · 21 fish
2016Lengths measured · 60 fish
2011Lengths measured · 270 fish
2000Rock bassExcellent numbers1.9per seine haul7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 30 fish
2021Lengths measured · 24 fish
2016Lengths measured · 35 fish
2011Lengths measured · 75 fish
2000Rates 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 Beltrami 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. On a lake that drops to 50 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.
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. On a lake that drops to 50 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25" | 18" | 35" |
| 2016 | 24" | 17" | 29" |
| 2011 | 19" | 14" | 37" |
| 2000 | 25" | 18" | 35" |
| 1993 | 20" | 15" | 33" |
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 · 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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | 148,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 300,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 303,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 369,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 344,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
In spring 2021, a daily bag limit reduction for sunfish (5 fish/day) was implemented on Lake Beltrami as part of the statewide Quality Sunfish Initiative (QSI). The goal of this special regulation is to maintain or improve Bluegill size structure by reducing angler harvest. In order to evaluate effectiveness of the regulation, Bluegill populations on many QSI lakes are periodically assessed. Primary data of interest include size structure metrics as well as age structure and growth information. Because age and growth data were recorded recently for Beltrami in 2020, these data were not collected in 2024.
On June 10, 2024, night electrofishing was conducted on Lake Beltrami. Surface water temperatures were in the low to mid-sixties; Bluegill was the only species collected. During 44 minutes of on-time, 193 Bluegill were captured, resulting in a catch rate of 264 fish/hour. Lengths ranged from 3 to 9 inches with an average size of 5.2 inches. Only seven fish were larger than eight inches, representing 3.6 percent of the sample. In 2020, the overall catch rate was much higher but size structure was very similar.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Beltrami Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Beltrami 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
- Beltrami Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Beltrami Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Three Island Lake · 730 ac · 1.8 mi
- Movil Lake · 855 ac · 2.3 mi
- Black Lake · 271 ac · 2.7 mi
- Turtle Lake · 1,607 ac · 3.1 mi
- Big Bass (east basin) Lake · 337 ac · 4.5 mi
- Turtle River Lake · 1,740 ac · 4.5 mi
- Little Turtle Lake · 469 ac · 4.7 mi
- Julia Lake · 511 ac · 6.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Beltrami Lake?
Beltrami Lake reaches 50 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 13 ft; about 41% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Beltrami Lake?
Beltrami Lake covers 726 acres with about 7.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Beltrami Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Beltrami Lake average 9.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Beltrami Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Beltrami Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Beltrami Lake have a public access?
Yes. Beltrami Lake has one public access site: Beltrami Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Beltrami Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Beltrami Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Beltrami Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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