Minnesota · Becker County
Buffalo Lake Fishing guide
Buffalo Lake sits in Becker County, Minnesota, and covers 418 acres, reaching 38 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 11.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Good numbers4.7per gill net16"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 42 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 42 fish
2022Lengths measured · 62 fish
2017Lengths measured · 49 fish
2012Lengths measured · 39 fish
2007Largemouth bassPresent1per gill net15"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2017Lengths measured · 19 fish
2012Lengths measured · 8 fish
2007Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeOne of the best around20.7per gill net18"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 192 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 192 fish
2022Lengths measured · 78 fish
2017Lengths measured · 91 fish
2012Lengths measured · 122 fish
2007BluegillGood numbers59.9per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 862 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 862 fish
2022Lengths measured · 547 fish
2017Lengths measured · 484 fish
2012Lengths measured · 496 fish
2007CrappieJust a few2.1per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 28 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 28 fish
2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2017Lengths measured · 30 fish
2012Lengths measured · 7 fish
2007Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchGood numbers8.9per gill net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 80 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 80 fish
2022Lengths measured · 237 fish
2017Lengths measured · 133 fish
2012Lengths measured · 90 fish
2007Rock bassOne of the best around3.9per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 100 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 100 fish
2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2017Lengths measured · 19 fish
2012Lengths measured · 27 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 Buffalo Lake through the year
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.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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.
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" | 29" | 17" |
| 2017 | 28" | 26" | 15" |
| 2012 | 34" | 27" | 19" |
| 2007 | 34" | 25" | 15" |
| 2002 | 29" | 29" | 14" |
| 1997 | 32" | 22" | — |
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 · 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
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
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 | 4,896 fingerlings · 1,029 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 8,484 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 5,828 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 10,563 fingerlings · 203 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,388 fingerlings · 735 yearlings · 51 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Buffalo Lake is a 376-acre, class 25 lake located in central Becker County near the community of Richwood. It is long and narrow with one bay extending north to the southern boundary of the White Earth Indian Reservation. Although it lies near the headwaters of the Buffalo River, it is the furthest downstream major lake basin through which this river flows on its course to the Red River. The bay on the west end of the lake near the low-head outlet dam has a dense stand of wild rice. Buffalo Lake has a special regulation for Bluegill limiting anglers to keep five fish per day. A standard fisheries survey was conducted in June 2022 to evaluate the fish population in Buffalo Lake.
While Walleye abundance was near average for Buffalo Lake, Northern Pike abundance reached an all time high in 2022. Pike size was also smaller than previous surveys with fish averaging 20 inches long. Similar to Northern Pike, Bluegill abundance was also at an all time high. Anglers can expect Bluegill to average a little over seven inches long, with additional opportunities to catch larger fish. Bluegill required seven years of growth to reach seven inches long in Buffalo Lake. This survey also captured Black Crappie that had an average length of nine inches and Largemouth Bass with lengths up to 17 inches. Other fish species present were Brown Bullhead, Black Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, White Sucker, Pumpkinseed, and Rock Bass.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Buffalo Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Buffalo 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
- Buffalo Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Buffalo Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Rice Lake · 231 ac · 2 mi
- Little Sugar Bush Lake · 221 ac · 2.5 mi
- Rock Lake · 1,196 ac · 3.5 mi
- Big Sugar Bush Lake · 522 ac · 5.3 mi
- North Tamarack Lake · 1,442 ac · 6.3 mi
- Little Floyd Lake · 215 ac · 6.9 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 361 ac · 7.2 mi
- Floyd Lake · 1,178 ac · 7.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Buffalo Lake?
Buffalo Lake reaches 38 ft at its deepest point; about 46% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Buffalo Lake?
Buffalo Lake covers 418 acres with about 7.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Buffalo Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Buffalo Lake average 11.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Buffalo Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Buffalo Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Buffalo Lake have a public access?
Yes. Buffalo Lake has one public access site: Buffalo Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Buffalo Lake in 2022, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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