Minnesota · St. Louis County
Cameron Lake Fishing guide
Cameron Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 168 acres, reaching 27 ft at its deepest point. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 3 times, most recently in 2004, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets. That survey is 22 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
The DNR last surveyed Cameron Lake in 2004. Ratings need a survey from the last 20 years, so this page lists the species from that older record without numbers.
- Walleye
- Largemouth bass
- Smallmouth bass
- Northern pike
- Bluegill
- Crappie
- Yellow perch
- Rock bass
How to fish Cameron 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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.
- 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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 28" | 16" | 16" |
| 1995 | 28" | 10" | 17" |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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
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 2004 survey
Cameron Lake is a 162 acre lake located near Cotton, Minnesota with 50% (81 acres) littoral area and a maximum depth of 27 feet. A carry down access with no parking is located off of County Road 224. Walleye, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass are the primary management species according to the 2000 management plan. Over 18,000 walleye fingerlings were stocked since 1991. Walleye abundance of 1.3 fish/gillnet was average compared to Minnesota lakes of similar type. The mean length of walleyes was 19.7 inches, with individuals reaching as large as 28.1 inches. Walleyes growth was fast compared to other Duluth Area lakes. There is some evidence of walleye natural reproduction as only 25% of the fish aged correlated to stocked years. Largemouth bass electrofishing catch rates in 2004 (7.5 per hour) were below average when compared to other Duluth Area populations. Mean length was 11.1 inches and largemouth bass growth was average for Duluth Area lakes. Smallmouth bass electrofishing catch rates in 2004 were low, with only 2.5 fish per hour netted. Mean length was 11.7 inches. Black crappie abundance was 9.6 fish/trapnet and was average for Minnesota lakes of similar type. The mean length of black crappies was 8.2 inches, with 57% of the catch 8 inches or greater. Growth was average for Duluth Area lakes. Most (65%) black crappie were age 3 and 5. Northern pike abundance was 8.7 fish/gillnet and was above average for Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length was 21.9 inches, with 50% of the fish sampled measuring 21 inches or more. Growth was considered average for Duluth Area lakes. Northern pike successfully reproduced in all years between 1998 and 2002. Bluegill abundance was 12.6 fish/trapnet and was average for Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length was 6.1 inches. Growth was average for Duluth Area lakes. Yellow perch abundance was 6.8 fish/gillnet and was average for Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length was 5.8 inches, with a maximum length of 6.4 inches. Other fish species sampled included pumpkinseed, rock bass, and white sucker. Cameron Lake is managed primarily as a bass-panfish and walleye lake. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass numbers have declined since the first sample in 1996; however, black crappie catch rates increased considerably. Walleye abundance has remained within a normal range for Cameron Lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Cameron Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Cameron 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
- County access: Carry down access off of County Road 224 at outlet crossing. No parking.
DNR bathymetry
Cameron Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Wilson Lake · 56 ac · 0.5 mi
- Schubert Lake · 212 ac · 0.9 mi
- Dinham Lake · 202 ac · 2.4 mi
- Little Long Lake · 18 ac · 3.3 mi
- Long Lake · 199 ac · 3.6 mi
- Strand Lake · 330 ac · 4.9 mi
- Lower Comstock Lake · 160 ac · 5.5 mi
- Hart Lake · 49 ac · 6.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Cameron Lake?
Cameron Lake reaches 27 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 15 ft; about 48% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Cameron Lake?
Cameron Lake covers 168 acres with about 2.7 miles of shoreline.
What fish are in Cameron Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2004) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Cameron Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Cameron Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Cameron Lake have a public access?
Yes. Cameron Lake has one public access site: County access (Carry down access off of County Road 224 at outlet crossing. No parking.).
When was Cameron Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Cameron Lake in 2004, the most recent of 3 surveys on record. That is more than 20 years ago, so this page lists species without ratings.
Page updated .
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