Minnesota · Polk County
Cross Lake Fishing guide
Cross Lake covers 320 acres in Polk County, Minnesota, reaching 19 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers7per gill net27"Typical40"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2022Lengths measured · 63 fish
2014Lengths measured · 17 fish
2007Lengths measured · 23 fish
2000BluegillJust a few3.9per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 35 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 35 fish
2022Lengths measured · 93 fish
2014Lengths measured · 23 fish
2007Lengths measured · 13 fish
2000CrappieJust a few1.6per trap net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 15 fish
2022Lengths measured · 47 fish
2014Lengths measured · 44 fish
2007Lengths measured · 5 fish
2000Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchFair numbers2.5per gill net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2022Lengths measured · 23 fish
2014Lengths measured · 11 fish
2007Lengths measured · 37 fish
2000No recent survey rating.
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 Cross 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 95% 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. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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. With 95% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 19" | 40" | 8" |
| 2014 | 25" | 37" | 9" |
| 2007 | 26" | 32" | 10" |
| 2000 | 24" | 26" | 11" |
| 1995 | 20" | 27" | 10" |
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 · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Slip Bobber + Leech
jumbo or large leech
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 303,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 313,069 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 303,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 303,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 303,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 303,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 378,750 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Cross Lake is a lightly developed, 320-acre, class-35, lake located in southeastern Polk County with a history of winterkill. The most recent severe winterkill occurred in 1991, when virtually all fish species except bullhead were extirpated from the lake. However, a moderate winterkill also occurred in the winter of 2017-2018. A standard fisheries survey was completed in June 2022 to evaluate the status of the fish populations in Cross Lake.
Survey results show that Cross Lake is still in recovery following the most recent partial winterkill. Anglers will likely encounter Northern Pike, Black Crappie, and bullheads, with a smaller chance of catching Walleye and Bluegill.
Read the full DNR narrative
The size of Northern Pike was respectable, with fish averaging almost 27 inches long and individuals over 40 inches also observed. Black Crappie had an average size of almost 11 inches long. Bluegill were primarily five inches long, but some fish up to nine inches were also measured. Walleye abundance was low, with fish averaging 17 inches long. Bullheads were the most abundant fish caught in nets, with their average size being around seven inches. Yellow Perch were present in low numbers with an average size of six inches. Common Carp and White Sucker were also collected in numbers similar to past surveys.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Cross Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Cross 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
- Cross Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Cross Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Turtle Lake · 525 ac · 1.8 mi
- Whitefish Lake · 243 ac · 2.7 mi
- Poplar Lake · 91 ac · 5.4 mi
- Pine Lake · 1,236 ac · 6.8 mi
- Perch Lake · 84 ac · 7.3 mi
- Lindberg Lake · 96 ac · 7.4 mi
- Spring Lake · 134 ac · 7.7 mi
- Store Lake · 50 ac · 8.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Cross Lake?
Cross Lake reaches 19 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12 ft; about 95% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Cross Lake?
Cross Lake covers 320 acres with about 6.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Cross Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Cross Lake average 6.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Cross Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Cross Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Cross Lake have a public access?
Yes. Cross Lake has one public access site: Cross Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier).
How big do walleye get in Cross Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Cross Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Cross Lake in 2022, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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