Minnesota · Wright County
Collinwood Lake Fishing guide
Collinwood Lake is a 639-acre lake in Wright County, Minnesota, reaching 28 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 3.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 27 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Excellent numbers6.3per gill net14"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 112 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2024Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2023Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 111 fish
2022Northern pikeOne of the best around27.3per gill net19"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 503 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 318 fish
2024Lengths measured · 185 fish
2022Lengths measured · 121 fish
2020Lengths measured · 38 fish
2018BluegillLast stocked 2023Fair numbers37.7per trap net3"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 293 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 268 fish
2024Lengths measured · 25 fish
2022Lengths measured · 64 fish
2020Lengths measured · 197 fish
2018CrappieJust a few0.3per trap net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 284 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 4 fish
2024Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 280 fish
2022Lengths measured · 4 fish
2020Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2018Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchExcellent numbers20.4per gill net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 369 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 272 fish
2024Lengths measured · 97 fish
2022Lengths measured · 664 fish
2020Lengths measured · 22 fish
2018Channel catfishFair numbers1.4per gill net15"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 13 fish
2022Lengths measured · 4 fish
2020Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2018Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 12 fish
2016Rates 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 Collinwood Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.6 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.
- 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. In 3.6 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12" | 30" | 12" |
| 2023 | 8" | — | — |
| 2022 | 25" | 33" | 13" |
| 2020 | 24" | 31" | 18" |
| 2019 | 12" | — | — |
| 2018 | 27" | 38" | 19" |
| 2017 | 15" | — | — |
| 2016 | 25" | 30" | 16" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
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 | 175,500 fry |
| 2023 | Bluegill Sunfish | 129 adults |
| 2023 | Largemouth Bass | 15 adults |
| 2022 | Walleye | 175,898 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 351,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 352,835 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey (fall nighttime electrofishing) was conducted on Collinwood Lake on September 16th, 2025, to evaluate young of the year (YOY) and yearling Walleye abundance. A total of 0 YOY were sampled for a catch rate of 0.0 fish/hr., which was below the lake's historical (1993 to 2025) median (16.5 fish/hr.). This indicated that there was no, or very little, natural reproduction in 2025. Fry were not stocked in 2025. In 2025, a total of 0 yearlings were sampled for a catch rate of 0.0 fish/hr., which was below Collinwood's historical (2017 to 2025) yearling median (1.5 fish/hr.) and was tied with the lowest yearling catch rate on record. Fry were stocked in 2024, but there was no evidence that they recruited to the yearling life-stage. Walleye fry are stocked every other year at Collinwood Lake (2024, 2026 etc.) and it will take time for the population to recover following the 2023 partial winterkill. Collinwood Lake is electrofished annually.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Collinwood Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Collinwood 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
- Collinwood Lake (E) (trailer launch)
- Collinwood Lake (N) (trailer launch)
- Collinwood Lake (S) (trailer launch)
- Collinwood Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Collinwood Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Wolf Lake · 262 ac · 3.4 mi
- Spring Lake · 201 ac · 3.4 mi
- Brooks Lake · 100 ac · 3.7 mi
- Long Lake · 164 ac · 4.5 mi
- Jennie Lake · 1,069 ac · 5.1 mi
- Washington Lake · 2,438 ac · 5.9 mi
- Cokato Lake · 553 ac · 6 mi
- Little Swan Lake · 52 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Collinwood Lake?
Collinwood Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12 ft; about 55% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Collinwood Lake?
Collinwood Lake covers 639 acres with about 4.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Collinwood Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Collinwood Lake average 3.6 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Collinwood Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Collinwood Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Collinwood Lake have a public access?
Yes. Collinwood Lake has 4 public access sites, including Collinwood Lake (E) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Collinwood Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2016.
When was Collinwood Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Collinwood Lake in 2025, the most recent of 27 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 Collinwood Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Collinwood Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report