Minnesota · Cass County
Crooked Lake Fishing guide
Crooked Lake covers 582 acres in Cass County, Minnesota, reaching 74 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Excellent numbers6.1per gill net18"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 55 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 55 fish
2025Lengths measured · 73 fish
2020Lengths measured · 69 fish
2015Lengths measured · 51 fish
2010Northern pikeFair numbers7.3per gill net18"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 66 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 66 fish
2025Lengths measured · 95 fish
2020Lengths measured · 60 fish
2015Lengths measured · 75 fish
2010BluegillJust a few14.7per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 214 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 23 fish
2025Lengths measured · 191 fish
2025Lengths measured · 90 fish
2020Lengths measured · 47 fish
2015Rates 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 Crooked 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. On a lake that drops to 74 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 74 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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25" | 17" | 28" |
| 2020 | 26" | 15" | 35" |
| 2015 | 27" | 17" | 30" |
| 2010 | 28" | 16" | 31" |
| 2005 | 27" | 13" | 29" |
| 2000 | 27" | 17" | 31" |
| 1995 | 20" | 13" | 34" |
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 · 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
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 · 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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 135,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 118,755 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 131,500 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 119,680 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 135,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 118,800 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 189,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Crooked Lake (DOW# 11-0494; Lake Class 27) is a 565-acre lake, with 237 littoral acres, 3.7 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 74 feet located near Wilkinson, MN. There is a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned public access on the east shore of Welsh Lake and Crooked Lake is accessible through a navigable channel between the two lakes. Crooked Lake is within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation (LLIR) and is co-managed by the MNDNR and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe - Division of Resource Management (LLBO DRM). Crooked lake is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Walleye and secondarily for Tullibee (Cisco), Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Yellow Perch. MNDNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Crooked Lake is in Lake Class 27; lakes in this class are large, deep, and regularly shaped. Other area lakes in this class include Ada, Pleasant, and Thirteen. A reduced daily limit of five Sunfish was implemented in the spring of 2022 to preserve the quality size structure in this lake. The purpose of this survey was to assess the status of gamefish populations. Only standard gill nets were used in this targeted survey.
Northern Pike were moderately abundant, meeting the management goal in 2025. Length based goals were not met for Northern Pike. Lengths ranged from 17 to 28 inches with an average length and weight of 19 inches and 1.4 pounds. Walleye abundance was slightly lower than the previous survey in 2020 but met the management goals. Sampled Walleye ranged in length from 14 to 26 inches with an average length and weight of 18 inches and 2 pounds. Tullibee (Cisco) were sampled in low numbers and below the management goal. Tullibee from 17 to 19 inches present in the sample. Largemouth Bass were sampled in low numbers with fish up to 17 inches present. Yellow Perch abundance was below management goals. A targeted spring trap net survey for Bluegill was conducted in 2025, see that survey for more details on the Bluegill population.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species sampled include Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. To date no invasive species have been identified in Crooked Lake. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Crooked Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Crooked 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: Channel from Welsh Lake on the N side of Crooked Lake
DNR bathymetry
Crooked Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Welch Lake · 196 ac · 1.2 mi
- Portage Lake · 361 ac · 3.1 mi
- Thirteen Lake · 555 ac · 3.6 mi
- Steamboat Lake · 1,756 ac · 4.5 mi
- Horseshoe Lake · 264 ac · 7.6 mi
- Pike Bay Lake · 4,756 ac · 8.3 mi
- Garfield Lake · 972 ac · 8.3 mi
- Leech Lake · 103,444 ac · 8.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Crooked Lake?
Crooked Lake reaches 74 ft at its deepest point; about 41% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Crooked Lake?
Crooked Lake covers 582 acres with about 3.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Crooked Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Crooked Lake average 9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Crooked Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Crooked Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Crooked Lake have a public access?
Yes. Crooked Lake has one public access site: Public access (Channel from Welsh Lake on the N side of Crooked Lake).
How big do walleye get in Crooked 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 1995.
When was Crooked Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Crooked Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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