Minnesota · Cook County
Caribou Lake Fishing guide
Caribou Lake covers 721 acres in Cook County, Minnesota, reaching 30 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 8.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeExcellent numbers7.3per gill net11"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 67 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 67 fish
2022Lengths measured · 81 fish
2017Lengths measured · 73 fish
2014Lengths measured · 68 fish
2011Smallmouth bassGood numbers21.6per hr (electrofishing)5"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 30 fish
2022Lengths measured · 26 fish
2017Lengths measured · 9 fish
2014Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2014Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few2per gill net20"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 26 fish
2022Lengths measured · 13 fish
2017Lengths measured · 19 fish
2014Lengths measured · 19 fish
2011BluegillJust a few0.1per trap net1"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2022Lengths measured · 13 fish
2017Lengths measured · 19 fish
2014Lengths measured · 7 fish
2011Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchGood numbers7.3per gill net1"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 176 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 176 fish
2022Lengths measured · 2255 fish
2017Lengths measured · 921 fish
2014Lengths measured · 2 fish
2011Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates 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 Caribou 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. With 61% 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.
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. With 61% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 22" | 18" | 35" |
| 2017 | 23" | 15" | 32" |
| 2014 | 24" | 13" | 32" |
| 2011 | 18" | 16" | 25" |
| 2008 | 21" | 12" | 34" |
| 2005 | 21" | 15" | 34" |
| 2003 | 23" | 18" | 28" |
| 1998 | 20" | 18" | 36" |
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
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Caribou Lake was conducted on August 4- August 6, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program (LBMA) staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing and 1/8" mesh mini-fyke net were completed at 10 sampling stations. Additionally, a 50-foot seine was used to sample two stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at eight stations. Six seine stations were completed in non-standard locations to help with sampling efforts and ensure varied habitat types. Nearshore sampling captured 12 species of fish.
The nearshore data along with gill net and standard trap net data will be used to develop fish community models for Northeast Minnesota lakes, which will be used to measure lake health in this region. These models may function similarly to fish IBI models developed for lakes across much of the rest of the state. For additional information, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. You can help protect the fish community in Caribou Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Caribou Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Caribou 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
- Caribou Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Caribou Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Ward Lake · 39 ac · 1.2 mi
- Deer Yard Lake · 343 ac · 3 mi
- Christine Lake · 184 ac · 3.7 mi
- Barker Lake · 149 ac · 4.3 mi
- Mistletoe Lake · 145 ac · 4.5 mi
- Pike Lake · 814 ac · 4.6 mi
- Holly Lake · 76 ac · 4.9 mi
- White Pine Lake · 346 ac · 5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Caribou Lake?
Caribou Lake reaches 30 ft at its deepest point; about 61% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Caribou Lake?
Caribou Lake covers 721 acres with about 10.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Caribou Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Caribou Lake average 8.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Caribou Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Caribou Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Caribou Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Caribou Lake have a public access?
Yes. Caribou Lake has one public access site: Caribou Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Caribou Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 22"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was Caribou Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Caribou Lake in 2025, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Caribou Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Caribou Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report