Minnesota · Beltrami County
Campbell Lake Fishing guide
Campbell Lake sits in Beltrami County, Minnesota, and covers 463 acres, reaching 25 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Good numbers5.9per gill net13"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 56 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 56 fish
2021Lengths measured · 21 fish
2016Lengths measured · 33 fish
2011Lengths measured · 26 fish
2007Northern pikeGood numbers12.7per gill net20"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 123 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 123 fish
2021Lengths measured · 51 fish
2016Lengths measured · 120 fish
2011Lengths measured · 172 fish
2007BluegillJust a few17.2per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 159 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 159 fish
2021Lengths measured · 40 fish
2016Lengths measured · 7 fish
2011Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 121 fish
2007CrappieJust a few1.9per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 21 fish
2021Lengths measured · 9 fish
2016Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2011Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 20 fish
2007Yellow perchGood numbers4.7per gill net5"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 50 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 50 fish
2021Lengths measured · 18 fish
2016Lengths measured · 43 fish
2011Lengths measured · 215 fish
2007Rock bassExcellent numbers1.3per seine haul7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 12 fish
2021Lengths measured · 5 fish
2016Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2011Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 21 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 Campbell Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11.7 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11.7 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.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24" | 33" | 15" |
| 2016 | 21" | 28" | 19" |
| 2011 | 25" | 27" | 18" |
| 2007 | 24" | 35" | 17" |
| 2003 | 23" | 32" | 14" |
| 1999 | 23" | 31" | 5" |
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
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
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 | 720 fingerlings · 733 yearlings · 2 adults |
| 2022 | Walleye | 5,403 fingerlings · 135 yearlings · 1,308 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 5,550 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 7,053 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 3,465 fingerlings · 1,248 yearlings · 105 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Campbell Lake is a 462-acre lake with a maximum depth of 25 feet located 10 miles northwest of Bemidji in Beltrami County. There is a DNR public water access with a concrete ramp and parking for about 6 trucks/trailers located on the south shore of the lake and accessible from County Roads 9 and 22. Campbell Lake is managed for Northern Pike, Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Walleye. A special regulation for Sunfish consisting of a reduced daily bag limit of 5 fish is in effect. Statewide regulations apply to all other species.
Campbell Lake is known as a consistent producer of Bluegill and Black Crappie. Numbers for both species were up in 2021 compared to the past few surveys, with good average sizes and larger fish present.
Read the full DNR narrative
The 2021 survey documented a respectable Walleye population with good numbers of smaller fish captured showing that recent stocking efforts have been successful. Walleye up to 22 inches in length were captured in this survey. Anglers with the patience required to fish weed lines for Walleye can do well in Campbell Lake.
Northern Pike were very abundant in Campbell Lake in the 2021 survey. Pike can provide a lot of fishing action for anglers on days when other species refuse to cooperate. A good portion of the pike catch exceeded 24 inches with fish up to 33 inches in length captured.
Largemouth Bass were not targeted in the 2021 survey, however Campbell Lake is known to have a healthy bass population similar to many smaller lakes in the Bemidji area. While numbers may be lower than some area lakes the potential to catch large bass exists on Campbell Lake.
Other species of fish captured in the 2021 survey were Rock Bass, Pumpkinseed, Hybrid Sunfish, Bullhead species, Tullibee (Cisco), White Sucker and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Campbell Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Campbell 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
- Campbell Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Campbell Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Long Lake · 664 ac · 2.4 mi
- Little Turtle Lake · 469 ac · 2.6 mi
- Turtle Lake · 1,607 ac · 3.5 mi
- Julia Lake · 511 ac · 3.9 mi
- Deer Lake · 298 ac · 4.4 mi
- Movil Lake · 855 ac · 4.5 mi
- Black Lake · 271 ac · 5.8 mi
- Beltrami Lake · 726 ac · 6.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Campbell Lake?
Campbell Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point; about 48% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Campbell Lake?
Campbell Lake covers 463 acres with about 6.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Campbell Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Campbell Lake average 11.7 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Campbell Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Campbell Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Campbell Lake have a public access?
Yes. Campbell Lake has one public access site: Campbell Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Campbell Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1999.
When was Campbell Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Campbell Lake in 2021, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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