Minnesota · Dakota County
Byllesby Lake Fishing guide
Byllesby Lake is a 1,368-acre lake in Dakota County, Minnesota, reaching 50 ft at its deepest point. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 16 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2018Fair numbers2.1per gill net9"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 103 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 19 fish
2023Lengths measured · 84 fish
2022Lengths measured · 94 fish
2019Lengths measured · 68 fish
2016Largemouth bassFair numbers34.8per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 40 fish
2019Lengths measured · 33 fish
2016Lengths measured · 40 fish
2011Lengths measured · 5 fish
1993Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few1.5per gill net19"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 12 fish
2023Lengths measured · 13 fish
2019Lengths measured · 6 fish
2016Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2014Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillJust a few1.1per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 15 fish
2023Lengths measured · 4 fish
2019Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 13 fish
2014Lengths measured · 17 fish
2008CrappieJust a few1.8per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 92 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 92 fish
2023Lengths measured · 166 fish
2019Lengths measured · 63 fish
2014Lengths measured · 44 fish
2008Yellow perchExcellent numbers19.3per gill net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 154 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 154 fish
2023Lengths measured · 37 fish
2019Lengths measured · 2 fish
2014Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2008Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Channel catfishExcellent numbers8.1per gill net18"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 65 fish
2023Lengths measured · 76 fish
2019Lengths measured · 10 fish
2014Lengths measured · 48 fish
2008Rates 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 Byllesby 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 50 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.
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 50 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27" | 16" | 25" |
| 2022 | 16" | — | — |
| 2019 | 20" | 12" | 29" |
| 2016 | 18" | 17" | 31" |
| 2014 | 29" | — | 29" |
| 2011 | 13" | 15" | — |
| 2008 | 24" | — | 30" |
| 1993 | 18" | 7" | 32" |
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Walleye | 17,642 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 15,600 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Lake Byllesby is located on the Goodhue and Dakota county line near the town of Cannon Falls. It is a 1,435-acre run of the river reservoir on the Cannon River created by a hydroelectric dam. Lake Byllesby has three public access, two on the lower end of the lake and one on the upper end. A fisheries survey consisting of trap netting and gill netting was completed in June 2023. A fall night-time electrofishing assessment was not completed as part of this survey. The last gill net and trap net survey was completed June 2019, however surveys previous to 2014 were completed in July. The gill-net catch rates of Walleye and Yellow Perch increased from the 2019 survey. Channel Catfish, Northern Pike, and White Bass catch rates were similar to 2019 survey. However, Black Crappie catch rate decreased from historic high in 2019. The trap-nets had an increase in Bluegill and Walleye, however other game species catch rates were similar to 2019.
Excess nutrients from run off create excessive algal blooms and high turbidity limits growth of aquatic vegetation. The lack of aquatic vegetation likely impacts game fish species in Lake Byllesby. The timing of the annual drawdown that starts on October 1st and ends with refill of the reservoir by May 15 may limit the available spawning habitat for gamefish species. The upper end of the reservoir is highly impacted by excessive sedimentation, creating shallow mud and sand flats at normal lake levels. The fish community present in Lake Byllesby is similar to other reservoirs with a mix of lake and river species of fish. Lake Byllesby can provide a decent fishery, especially in the winter when anglers typically target Black Crappie and Walleye. The reservoir may provide over-winter habitat for many species of fish in the Cannon River, including Walleye.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Byllesby Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Byllesby 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
- Cannon River, Lake Byllesby (W) (trailer launch)
- Lake Byllesby (trailer launch)
- Lake Byllesby, Regional Park Beach (carry-in)
- Byllesby Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Byllesby Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Prairie Ponds Lake · 12 ac · 11.2 mi
- Cobblestone Lake · 35 ac · 17.2 mi
- Union Lake · 397 ac · 17.3 mi
- Marion Lake · 530 ac · 18.9 mi
- Fox Lake · 312 ac · 19.1 mi
- Circle Lake · 838 ac · 19.5 mi
- Sweetbrier Lake · 20 ac · 19.7 mi
- Crystal Lake · 293 ac · 20.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Byllesby Lake?
Byllesby Lake reaches 50 ft at its deepest point; about 71% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Byllesby Lake?
Byllesby Lake covers 1,368 acres with about 13.9 miles of shoreline.
What fish are in Byllesby Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, white bass.
Is Byllesby Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2018; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Byllesby Lake have a public access?
Yes. Byllesby Lake has 4 public access sites, including Cannon River, Lake Byllesby (W) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Byllesby Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Byllesby Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Byllesby Lake in 2023, the most recent of 16 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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