Minnesota · Hennepin County
Christmas Lake Fishing guide
Christmas Lake is a 267-acre lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota, reaching 87 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 26 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
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers7.2per gill net21"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 44 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 44 fish
2023Lengths measured · 49 fish
2018Lengths measured · 72 fish
2007Lengths measured · 100 fish
2001BluegillGood numbers61.7per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 559 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 559 fish
2023Lengths measured · 332 fish
2018Lengths measured · 481 fish
2007Lengths measured · 685 fish
2001Present and managed by the DNR. Standard survey gear does not count this species reliably.
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 Christmas Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 26 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 87 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 26 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 87 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.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass | Rainbow trout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 34" | 14" | — |
| 2018 | 29" | 18" | — |
| 2007 | 32" | 13" | 21" |
| 2001 | 29" | 15" | 26" |
| 1996 | 29" | 10" | 26" |
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:
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
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
Rainbow trout · Trolling
Trout Trolling (spoons/cowbells)
2–3in trolling spoon behind a small cowbell/dodger string
Rainbow trout · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Christmas Lake is 267 acres, with a maximum depth of 87 feet. It is located southeast of the City of Excelsior, in southwestern Hennepin County. Public access is provided by a city-owned boat ramp located on the northwestern shore. Christmas Lake is a unique metro lake with exceptionally clear water and abundant summer dissolved oxygen. Eurasian watermilfoil and zebra mussels are present in Christmas Lake.
Past management of Christmas Lake focused on establishing a put-and-take trout fishery. Since discontinuation of trout stocking after May 2016, Christmas Lake management has shifted towards Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass and Bluegill fisheries. A Standard Survey was conducted during the summer of 2023 to assess fish populations.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike numbers were high, with 7.2 fish per gill net sampled in 2023. Pike averaged 22.4 inches, with the largest measured at 34.6 inches. The Northern Pike population in Christmas Lake could benefit from the Northern Pike north-central zone regulation that took effect in 2018, where 10 fish may be kept, but not more than 2 over 26" and all fish from 22-26" must be immediately released. Sixty-nine percent of pike sampled were outside of the protected slot.
Largemouth Bass sampling was not conducted in 2023. Five bass were incidentally sampled in the gill nets and trap nets, ranging in length from 5.3 to 14.4 inches. When bass electrofishing was previously conducted, in 2018, the fish were abundant, and size ranged between 10.3 and 18.6 inches.
Bluegill abundance in Christmas Lake was high, with 61.7 fish per trap net sampled. Bluegill averaged 5.9 inches, with the largest measured at 8.6 inches. While there are a lot of small individuals in the population, anglers still have an opportunity to catch fish greater than 8 inches.
Other fish species sampled in low abundances were Brown Bullhead, Black Crappie, Bowfin, Green Sunfish, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Yellow Perch, and Yellow Bullhead. No Rainbow Trout were sampled.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Christmas Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Christmas 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
- Christmas Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Christmas Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lucy Lake · 88 ac · 1.5 mi
- Lotus Lake · 245 ac · 1.6 mi
- Ann Lake · 116 ac · 1.9 mi
- Minnewashta Lake · 680 ac · 3.1 mi
- Susan Lake · 88 ac · 3.1 mi
- Round Lake · 31 ac · 3.2 mi
- Mitchell Lake · 114 ac · 3.6 mi
- Minnetonka Lake · 14,206 ac · 3.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Christmas Lake?
Christmas Lake reaches 87 ft at its deepest point; about 29% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Christmas Lake?
Christmas Lake covers 267 acres with about 3.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Christmas Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Christmas Lake average 26 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Christmas Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rainbow trout.
Is Christmas Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked rainbow trout in 2016.
Does Christmas Lake have a public access?
Yes. Christmas Lake has one public access site: Christmas Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Christmas Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Christmas Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Christmas Lake in 2023, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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