Minnesota · Wadena County
Blueberry Lake Fishing guide
Blueberry Lake sits in Wadena County, Minnesota, and covers 533 acres, reaching 15 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.5per gill net20"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 16 fish
2022Lengths measured · 1 fish
2020Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 33 fish
2017Lengths measured · 14 fish
2007Northern pikeGood numbers13.7per gill net23"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 86 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 86 fish
2022Lengths measured · 5 fish
2020Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 122 fish
2017Lengths measured · 84 fish
2007Present in recent DNR surveys.
BluegillJust a few16.5per trap net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 148 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 148 fish
2022Lengths measured · 45 fish
2020Lengths measured · 38 fish
2017Lengths measured · 57 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net11"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 14 fish
2022Lengths measured · 6 fish
2020Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 14 fish
2007Yellow perchGood numbers10.7per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 67 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 67 fish
2022Lengths measured · 64 fish
2020Lengths measured · 234 fish
2017Lengths measured · 146 fish
2007Rates 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 Blueberry Lake through the year
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. With 100% 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 15-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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. With 100% 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 15-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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 33" | 27" | 15" |
| 2020 | 27" | 24" | 18" |
| 2017 | 41" | 27" | 15" |
| 2007 | 32" | 27" | — |
| 2002 | 37" | 28" | — |
| 1997 | 42" | 29" | — |
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:
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Flipping/Punching Creature Bait
4" beaver/creature-style 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 408 fingerlings · 1,944 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 19,036 fingerlings · 209 yearlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 209 yearlings · 198 adults |
| 2018 | Walleye | 8,140 fingerlings · 11 yearlings · 28 adults |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,063 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 294 fingerlings · 1,370 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Blueberry Lake is located in northern Wadena County, three miles northeast of Menahga. Blueberry is a shallow lake with a maximum depth of 15 feet. A state-owned public access is located on the northeast shore on the outlet of the Shell River off Blueberry Bridge Road. There is also a winter access on the east shore off of east Blueberry Drive. Blueberry provides angling opportunities for Northern Pike, Walleye, and panfish.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Blueberry Lake is in lake class 41. Class 41 lakes are very large and shallow with hard and turbid water. There are no other class 41 lakes in the Park Rapids management area. Class 39 lakes are the most similar lake class and include First Crow Wing, Fourth Crow Wing, and Portage.
Read the full DNR narrative
Blueberry has a special regulation for Northern Pike. All pike 24 to 36 inches in length must be immediately released, with a possession limit of three, and only one over 36 inches. Anglers will find an abundant population of Northern Pike, with an average length and weight of 23.3 inches and 2.9 lbs with fish measured up to 33.9 inches.
Walleye numbers were down slightly from previous surveys. Multiple year classes of Walleye were sampled and ranged in length from 10.0 to 27.3 inches. Yellow Perch, an important forage species for Walleye were sampled in moderate numbers for this lake class. Sampled Yellow Perch were small in size with an average length of 6.3 inches.
Blueberry has been a popular lake for panfish, especially during the ice fishing season. Angling opportunities include Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed. Good numbers of Bluegill in the 6-8 inch size range were sampled and moderate numbers of Black Crappie with fish measured up to 13.8 inches. Growth of panfish was very fast when compared to area lakes.
Blueberry Lake is one of the very few in the area that supports a Common Carp population and provides bowfishing and angling opportunities. A low to moderate Common Carp population is present in the lake.
Curly-leaf Pondweed, an aquatic invasive species (AIS) has been identified in Blueberry Lake. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Blueberry Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Blueberry 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
- Blueberry Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Blueberry Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Stocking Lake · 362 ac · 1.9 mi
- Lower Twin Lake · 252 ac · 2.5 mi
- Spirit Lake · 114 ac · 2.8 mi
- Upper Twin Lake · 213 ac · 3.2 mi
- Lord Lake · 62 ac · 3.3 mi
- Hinds Lake · 305 ac · 3.5 mi
- Moran Lake · 101 ac · 4.5 mi
- Little Long Lake · 13 ac · 5.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Blueberry Lake?
Blueberry Lake reaches 15 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Blueberry Lake?
Blueberry Lake covers 533 acres with about 5.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Blueberry Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Blueberry Lake average 6.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Blueberry Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Blueberry Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Blueberry Lake have a public access?
Yes. Blueberry Lake has one public access site: Blueberry Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Blueberry Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 33"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Blueberry Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Blueberry Lake in 2022, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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