Minnesota · Douglas County
Blackwell Lake Fishing guide
Blackwell Lake covers 307 acres in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 42 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
BluegillJust a few20.8per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 374 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 101 fish
2022Lengths measured · 273 fish
2022Lengths measured · 119 fish
2020Lengths measured · 296 fish
2014CrappieJust a few9.3per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 135 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 8 fish
2022Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 127 fish
2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2020Lengths measured · 35 fish
2014No recent survey rating.
Rates 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 Blackwell 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. At 11.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 42 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 42 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 16" | 29" | 9" |
| 2020 | 17" | 33" | 8" |
| 2014 | 18" | 31" | 9" |
| 2009 | 15" | 32" | 9" |
| 2004 | 19" | 29" | 7" |
| 1999 | 20" | 30" | 8" |
| 1994 | 19" | 33" | 7" |
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
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
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Bluegill · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
A trap net survey was conducted on Blackwell Lake on July 11-12, 2022 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was above the 25% quartile and below the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 34 lakes and the average length was 5.3 inches, with 14% over seven inches. Bluegill, Northern Pike, and Yellow Bullhead comprised a majority of the trap net catch by biomass.
The fish data collected in this trap net survey were combined with data from an August 2020 gill net survey and July 2020 survey of nearshore fishes 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. Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Smallmouth Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g. Black Bullhead and Common Carp). 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 Blackwell Lake is in good health as indicated by an FIBI score above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Long Prairie River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Blackwell Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Blackwell 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
- Blackwell Lake (S) (trailer launch)
- Blackwell Lake (N) (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Blackwell Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Grant Lake · 177 ac · 0.6 mi
- Lake Rachel · 448 ac · 1.9 mi
- Mill Lake · 451 ac · 2.1 mi
- Lake Oscar · 997 ac · 2.4 mi
- Crooked Lake · 284 ac · 2.6 mi
- Round Lake · 81 ac · 2.7 mi
- Grill Lake · 67 ac · 2.7 mi
- Pocket Lake · 263 ac · 3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Blackwell Lake?
Blackwell Lake reaches 42 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10 ft; about 66% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Blackwell Lake?
Blackwell Lake covers 307 acres with about 5.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Blackwell Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Blackwell Lake average 11.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Blackwell Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Blackwell Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Blackwell Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Blackwell Lake have a public access?
Yes. Blackwell Lake has 2 public access sites, including Blackwell Lake (S) (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Blackwell Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 16"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Blackwell Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Blackwell Lake in 2022, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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