Minnesota · Itasca County
Busties Lake Fishing guide
Busties Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 245 acres, reaching 44 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 12.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers24.6per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 6 fish
2022Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 13 fish
2021Lengths measured · 30 fish
2013Northern pikeGood numbers12.5per gill net19"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 101 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 13 fish
2022Lengths measured · 88 fish
2021Lengths measured · 107 fish
2013BluegillJust a few17.3per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 325 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 216 fish
2022Lengths measured · 109 fish
2021Lengths measured · 192 fish
2013CrappieJust a few1.3per trap net6"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 42 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 19 fish
2022Lengths measured · 23 fish
2021Lengths measured · 74 fish
2013Yellow perchGood numbers5.5per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 34 fish
2021Lengths measured · 89 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 Busties Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12.5 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. On a lake that drops to 44 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 12.5 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. On a lake that drops to 44 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.
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 | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 30" | 17" | 21" |
| 2021 | 27" | 17" | 27" |
| 2013 | 30" | 19" | 24" |
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
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Walleye | 71,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 71,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 78,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Busties Lake was conducted on July 5-7, 2022 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 seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations, but four stations were sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample four stations, a 15-foot seine was used to sample one station, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at five stations. Nearshore sampling captured 10 species of fish including two species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blackchin Shiner and Blacknose Shiner) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Bluegill and Northern Pike comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was above the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 31 lakes and the average length was 6.3 inches, with 29% over 7 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2021 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). 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.
Data from this survey indicates Busties Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score, well 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 Pine River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Busties Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Busties 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
- Busties Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Busties Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Deer Lake · 1,855 ac · 5.6 mi
- Little Bass Lake · 26 ac · 6.5 mi
- Bass Lake · 122 ac · 6.6 mi
- Erskine Lake · 40 ac · 6.7 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 241 ac · 6.9 mi
- Poplar Lake · 112 ac · 7.2 mi
- Larson Lake · 208 ac · 7.5 mi
- Battle Lake · 243 ac · 7.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Busties Lake?
Busties Lake reaches 44 ft at its deepest point; about 29% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Busties Lake?
Busties Lake covers 245 acres with about 3.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Busties Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Busties Lake average 12.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Busties Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Busties Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2021; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Busties Lake have a public access?
Yes. Busties Lake has one public access site: Busties Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Busties Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 30"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2013.
When was Busties Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Busties Lake in 2022, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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