Minnesota · Hennepin County
Bush Lake Fishing guide
Bush Lake sits in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and covers 171 acres, reaching 28 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassFair numbers22.1per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 60 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2024Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 57 fish
2023Lengths measured · 73 fish
2013Lengths measured · 8 fish
2007Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers14.5per gill net21"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 95 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 2 fish
2024Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 93 fish
2023Lengths measured · 98 fish
2013Lengths measured · 45 fish
2007BluegillFair numbers46.1per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 807 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 436 fish
2024Lengths measured · 371 fish
2023Lengths measured · 165 fish
2013Lengths measured · 476 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net6"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 6 fish
2024Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2023Lengths measured · 25 fish
2013Lengths measured · 34 fish
2007Last recorded in the 2013 survey and not seen since.
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 Bush Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11.5 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. With 64% 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 11.5 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. With 64% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Largemouth bass | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24" | 7" | 8" |
| 2023 | 26" | 18" | 7" |
| 2013 | 27" | 18" | 8" |
| 2007 | 31" | 17" | 7" |
| 2001 | 30" | 14" | 6" |
| 1994 | 27" | 19" | 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:
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
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 2024 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Bush Lake was conducted on June 17th, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 2 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at 5 stations. Three stations were not seined due to deep muck and dense waterlilies. Nearshore sampling captured 8 species of fish; one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish) but none that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blackchin Shiner).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types, however one was not included in assessment as it was removed/vandalized . Trap net sampling captured 8 species of fish, including one considered tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish). Hybrid Sunfish and Pumpkinseed comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Brown Bullhead and Hybrid Sunfish comprised a majority by biomass. The trap net catch was largely dominated by Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed and Bluegill.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2023 survey 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., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish 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.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Bush Lake is adversely impacted by stressors, as indicated by an FIBI score below the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Lower Minnesota River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Bush Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Bush Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Bush 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
- West Bush Lake Park (trailer launch)
- Bush Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
- Bush Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Bush Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Hyland Lake · 84 ac · 1.3 mi
- Staring Lake · 167 ac · 3.5 mi
- Centennial Lake · 6 ac · 3.5 mi
- Bryant Lake · 180 ac · 3.6 mi
- Cornelia Lake · 53 ac · 3.8 mi
- Penn Lake · 44 ac · 3.9 mi
- Quarry Lake · 70 ac · 4.2 mi
- Red Rock Lake · 97 ac · 4.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bush Lake?
Bush Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point; about 64% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Bush Lake?
Bush Lake covers 171 acres with about 3.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Bush Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Bush Lake average 11.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Bush Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge.
Is Bush Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Bush Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Bush Lake have a public access?
Yes. Bush Lake has 3 public access sites, including West Bush Lake Park (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Bush Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Bush Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Bush Lake in 2024, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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