Minnesota · Itasca County
Chase Lake Fishing guide
Chase Lake is a 211-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 95 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 23 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassGood numbers55.8per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 92 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 92 fish
2016Lengths measured · 91 fish
2001Northern pikeFair numbers6.5per gill net20"Typical40"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 47 fish
2016Lengths measured · 56 fish
2001BluegillJust a few7.2per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 72 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 72 fish
2016Lengths measured · 57 fish
2001CrappieJust a few2.1per trap net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 59 fish
2016Lengths measured · 18 fish
2001Rates 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 Chase Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 23 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 95 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 23 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. On a lake that drops to 95 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 17" | 40" | 20" |
| 2001 | 19" | 30" | 21" |
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:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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
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 2023 survey
A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile was collected in the deepest basin on Chase Lake on August 1, 2023, to evaluate the amount of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee. Based on the profile, the top of the thermocline (i.e., the location in the water column with the sharpest transition from warm to cold water) occurred at approximately 23 feet. Dissolved oxygen decreased to below 3.0 mg/L at 51.9 feet, which was below the thermocline, at the time of sampling. The temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to below 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 5.4°C (41.7°F).
TDO3 values cooler than 21.5°C indicate that oxythermal conditions are favorable for Cisco. Dissolved oxygen concentrations below the thermocline indicate that suitable oxythermal habitat for Cisco was available across a range of depths at the time of sampling during the summer of 2023. Data collected in 1976-2016 further indicate suitable oxythermal habitat across years, with the least favorable conditions recorded in 1981. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and therefore experience higher levels of stress.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Chase Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Chase 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
- Public access: Off township road at southwest corner of lake. Ownership is uncertain.
DNR bathymetry
Chase Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Deer Lake · 67 ac · 1 mi
- Moose Lake · 1,273 ac · 3.1 mi
- Deer Lake · 4,094 ac · 3.5 mi
- Little Moose Lake · 289 ac · 4.5 mi
- Island Lake · 285 ac · 4.8 mi
- Cottonwood Lake · 133 ac · 4.8 mi
- Bass Lake · 2,715 ac · 5.8 mi
- McAvity Lake · 147 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Chase Lake?
Chase Lake reaches 95 ft at its deepest point; about 32% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Chase Lake?
Chase Lake covers 211 acres with about 2.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Chase Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Chase Lake average 23 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Chase Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Chase Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Chase Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Chase Lake have a public access?
Yes. Chase Lake has one public access site: Public access (Off township road at southwest corner of lake. Ownership is uncertain.).
How big do largemouth bass get in Chase Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 17"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2001.
When was Chase Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Chase Lake in 2023, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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