Minnesota · Meeker County
Big Swan Lake Fishing guide
Big Swan Lake sits in Meeker County, Minnesota, and covers 684 acres, reaching 32 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 2.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 23 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2022One of the best around15.6per gill net14"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 373 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 40 fish
2025Lengths measured · 73 fish
2024Lengths measured · 206 fish
2024Lengths measured · 202 fish
2023Northern pikeFair numbers7.9per gill net21"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 188 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 113 fish
2024Lengths measured · 75 fish
2022Lengths measured · 38 fish
2020Lengths measured · 92 fish
2016BluegillPresent2.5per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 75 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 16 fish
2024Lengths measured · 43 fish
2022Lengths measured · 16 fish
2022Lengths measured · 2 fish
2020Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
CrappiePresent20.1per gill net7"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 910 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 224 fish
2024Lengths measured · 258 fish
2022Lengths measured · 428 fish
2022Lengths measured · 21 fish
2020Yellow perchFair numbers4.3per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 101 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 59 fish
2024Lengths measured · 42 fish
2022Lengths measured · 2 fish
2020Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 27 fish
2016Channel catfishGood numbers3.5per gill net17"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 85 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 34 fish
2024Lengths measured · 51 fish
2022Lengths measured · 78 fish
2020Lengths measured · 72 fish
2016Rates 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 Big Swan Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.2 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.
- 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. In 2.2 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.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14" | — | — |
| 2024 | 29" | 34" | 15" |
| 2023 | 12" | — | — |
| 2022 | 26" | 29" | 17" |
| 2020 | 23" | 27" | — |
| 2019 | 12" | — | — |
| 2018 | 15" | — | — |
| 2017 | 14" | — | — |
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
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 · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Walleye | 170,219 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 170,970 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 338,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey (fall nighttime electrofishing) was conducted on Big Swan Lake on September 24th, 2025, to evaluate young of the year (YOY) and yearling Walleye abundance. A total of 13 YOY were sampled for a catch rate of 13.0 fish/hr., which was below the lake's historical (1994 to 2025) median (18.6 fish/hr.) and was the second lowest catch rate on record, since electrofishing resumed in 2017. This indicated that a small sized YOY year class was present. In 2025, the average length for YOY was 6.7 inches, which was below Big Swan's historical average (7.1 inches). Walleye fry were not stocked in 2025, so those fish resulted from natural reproduction. In 2025, a total of 9 yearlings were sampled for a catch rate of 9.0 fish/hr., which was below Big Swan's historical (2017 to 2025) yearling median (12.5 fish/hr.) and was tied with the lake's second lowest yearling catch rate on record. Walleye fry were not stocked in 2024, so those yearlings were the result of natural reproduction. The average length for the yearlings was 11.4 inches and was below Big Swan's historical average (12.3 inches). Due to the significant natural reproduction of Walleye at Big Swan, the lake will only be stocked with Walleye fry if two consecutive fall electrofishing catch rates drop below 20 YOY/hr. Since the 2024 and 2025 YOY catch rates were both below 20 YOY/hr., fry will be stocked in 2026. Big Swan is electrofished annually.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Big Swan Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Big Swan 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
- Big Swan Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Big Swan Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Swan Lake · 52 ac · 0.9 mi
- Arvilla Lake · 138 ac · 1.6 mi
- Long Lake · 164 ac · 2.6 mi
- Spring Lake · 201 ac · 3.8 mi
- Brooks Lake · 100 ac · 5.2 mi
- Francis Lake · 1,053 ac · 5.7 mi
- Cokato Lake · 553 ac · 5.9 mi
- Moose Lake · 87 ac · 6.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Big Swan Lake?
Big Swan Lake reaches 32 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 11 ft; about 49% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Big Swan Lake?
Big Swan Lake covers 684 acres with about 6.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Big Swan Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Big Swan Lake average 2.2 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Big Swan Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Big Swan Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2022; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Big Swan Lake have a public access?
Yes. Big Swan Lake has one public access site: Big Swan Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Big Swan 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 2017.
When was Big Swan Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Big Swan Lake in 2025, the most recent of 23 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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