Minnesota · Cass County
Boy Lake Fishing guide
Boy Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 3,308 acres, reaching 45 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 8.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeGood numbers5per gill net17"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 153 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 60 fish
2025Lengths measured · 93 fish
2021Lengths measured · 138 fish
2017Lengths measured · 117 fish
2013Largemouth bassPresent1.9per gill net11"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 26 fish
2025Lengths measured · 39 fish
2021Lengths measured · 9 fish
2017Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 9 fish
2013Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers11.8per gill net18"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 372 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 209 fish
2025Lengths measured · 163 fish
2021Lengths measured · 212 fish
2017Lengths measured · 173 fish
2013Present in recent DNR surveys.
BluegillJust a few11.7per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1236 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 447 fish
2025Lengths measured · 586 fish
2023Lengths measured · 203 fish
2021Lengths measured · 53 fish
2017CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net10"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 194 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 32 fish
2025Lengths measured · 117 fish
2023Lengths measured · 45 fish
2021Lengths measured · 19 fish
2017Yellow perchGood numbers5.4per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 182 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 61 fish
2025Lengths measured · 121 fish
2021Lengths measured · 181 fish
2017Lengths measured · 255 fish
2013Rock bassGood numbers0.8per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2021Lengths measured · 9 fish
2017Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2013Rates 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 Boy 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 45 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.
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. On a lake that drops to 45 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 | Walleye | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26" | 30" | 18" |
| 2021 | 26" | 33" | 18" |
| 2017 | 26" | 32" | 13" |
| 2013 | 27" | 31" | 17" |
| 2005 | 26" | 36" | 17" |
| 2000 | 25" | 30" | 18" |
| 1995 | 29" | 34" | 16" |
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 · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
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
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 2025 survey
Boy Lake is a 3,466-acre lake with 2,007 littoral acres, 26 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 45 feet located north of Longville, MN. A DNR owned public access is located on the southwest shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Boy Lake is in Lake Class 25; lakes in this class are generally deep, clear and irregularly shaped. Other Lake Class 25 lakes in the Walker Area include Birch, Blackwater, Girl, Hand, and Inguadona. The lake is primarily managed for Walleye, Northern Pike, and Muskellunge. Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, and Tullibee (Cisco) are secondary management species. A special regulation for Sunfish and Black Crappie (daily bag limit 10 Sunfish and 5 Black Crappie) was implemented March 1, 2022 as part of the state-wide Quality Sunfish Initiative (QSI) which aims to protect or increase size of Sunfish populations.
Northern Pike abundance remained higher than management goals. Lengths ranged from 11 to 30 inches, with an average length of 18 inches and did not meet population size structure goals. Walleye abundance was below management goals for the first time since 1984. Walleye lengths ranged from 10 to 26 inches, with an average length of 19 inches. The 2019 year-class is strong and is maintaining the fishery. Yellow Perch numbers declined to a record low and were below management goals, but fish up to 9 inches long were sampled. Black Crappie abundance increased from previous surveys and exceeded size structure management goals. Black Crappie ranged in length from 9 to 15 inches. Bluegill abundance increased from previous surveys and exceeded management goals with fish up to 9 inches sampled. Largemouth Bass catch rates remained high with fish up to 16 inches long sampled. Targeted electrofishing surveys are required to develop long-range management goals for Largemouth Bass.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species sampled include, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Greater Redhorse, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Shorthead Redhorse, Smallmouth Bass, Tullibee (Cisco), White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Zebra Mussels, an aquatic invasive species (AIS) were identified in Boy Lake in 2025. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. 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. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Boy Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Boy 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
- Boy Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Boy Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Swift Lake · 357 ac · 3.1 mi
- Town Line Lake · 698 ac · 3.8 mi
- Mabel Lake · 184 ac · 5.1 mi
- Long Lake · 1,007 ac · 6.4 mi
- Three Island Lake · 288 ac · 7.4 mi
- Boxell Lake · 66 ac · 8 mi
- Little Sand Lake · 413 ac · 8.3 mi
- Big Sand Lake · 731 ac · 8.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Boy Lake?
Boy Lake reaches 45 ft at its deepest point; about 61% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Boy Lake?
Boy Lake covers 3,308 acres with about 21.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Boy Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Boy Lake average 8.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Boy Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Boy Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Boy Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Boy Lake have a public access?
Yes. Boy Lake has one public access site: Boy Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Boy Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Boy Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Boy Lake in 2025, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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