Minnesota · Rice County
Cannon Lake Fishing guide
Cannon Lake covers 1,593 acres in Rice County, Minnesota, reaching 15 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 1.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 16 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers11per gill net12"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 140 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 337 fish
2025Lengths measured · 397 fish
2023Lengths measured · 140 fish
2023Lengths measured · 615 fish
2022Largemouth bassGood numbers73.1per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 111 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 111 fish
2023Lengths measured · 8 fish
2020Only 8 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.
Lengths measured · 19 fish
2009No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few0.7per gill net29"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 17 fish
2023Lengths measured · 23 fish
2020Lengths measured · 24 fish
2014Lengths measured · 19 fish
2009BluegillJust a few14.7per trap net4"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 172 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 172 fish
2023Lengths measured · 16 fish
2020Lengths measured · 19 fish
2014Lengths measured · 65 fish
2009CrappieJust a few2.6per trap net6"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 76 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 76 fish
2023Lengths measured · 100 fish
2020Lengths measured · 133 fish
2014Lengths measured · 20 fish
2009Yellow perchExcellent numbers23.3per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 303 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 303 fish
2023Lengths measured · 477 fish
2020Lengths measured · 177 fish
2014Lengths measured · 415 fish
2009Rates 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 Cannon Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 1.6 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 15-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 1.6 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 100% 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. A 15-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10" | — | — |
| 2023 | 27" | 20" | 38" |
| 2022 | 9" | — | — |
| 2021 | 8" | — | — |
| 2020 | 26" | 18" | 35" |
| 2014 | 26" | 18" | 35" |
| 2009 | 25" | 19" | 34" |
| 2004 | 22" | 14" | 29" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 369,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 369,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 369,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 738,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 738,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 738,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 738,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 2,212,887 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Nighttime electrofishing for YOY Walleye was completed on 6 October 2025. Three hundred and thirty-seven age-0 Walleyes were sampled during 90 minutes of electrofishing for a catch rate of 224.1/hour on-time. Age-0 Walleye averaged 7.9 inches and ranged from 5.9 inches to 10.8 inches. The mean catch rate since 1997 during fry stocked years (n=13) was 193.7/per hour on-time while non-stocked years (n=6) have averaged 12.5/hour on-time.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Cannon Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Cannon 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 Lake (trailer launch)
- Cannon Lake Fishing Pier, Shagar Park (fishing pier)
- Cannon Lake, Ackman Park Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Cannon Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Wells Lake · 678 ac · 3.1 mi
- Cedar Lake · 902 ac · 4 mi
- Roberds Lake · 632 ac · 4.9 mi
- French Lake · 876 ac · 5.5 mi
- Caron Lake · 319 ac · 5.6 mi
- Hunt Lake · 176 ac · 6.1 mi
- Lower Sakatah Lake · 372 ac · 6.3 mi
- Kelly & Dudley Lake · 128 ac · 6.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Cannon Lake?
Cannon Lake reaches 15 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Cannon Lake?
Cannon Lake covers 1,593 acres with about 12 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Cannon Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Cannon Lake average 1.6 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Cannon Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, white bass.
Is Cannon Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Cannon Lake have a public access?
Yes. Cannon Lake has 3 public access sites, including Cannon Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Cannon 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 2004.
When was Cannon Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Cannon Lake in 2025, the most recent of 16 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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