Minnesota · Murray County
Currant Lake Fishing guide
Currant Lake is a 406-acre lake in Murray County, Minnesota, reaching 9.5 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 1.1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, northern pike, bluegill and crappie in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025One of the best around20.2per gill net10"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 221 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 40 fish
2025Lengths measured · 53 fish
2025Lengths measured · 181 fish
2021Lengths measured · 12 fish
2017No recent survey rating.
No recent survey rating.
CrappieFair numbers14.9per trap net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 136 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 136 fish
2021Lengths measured · 41 fish
2017Lengths measured · 159 fish
2013Lengths measured · 175 fish
2009Yellow perchLast stocked 2016Elite fishery43.3per gill net5"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 431 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 44 fish
2025Lengths measured · 387 fish
2021Lengths measured · 34 fish
2017Lengths measured · 21 fish
2013Rates 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 Currant Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 1.1 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. With 100% 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 9.5-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Yellow perch
- Spring
- Perch are draping eggs over flooded cover and weed stems on the shallow flats. In 1.1 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Perch are spread over sand-grass flats and the first weed edges in loose packs.
- Summer
- Perch are over deeper soft-bottom flats and the basin, on the bottom and in schools. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Perch are roaming the mid-depth flats in loose schools, chasing young-of-year bait while it is still shallow. A 9.5-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 | Yellow perch | Crappie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27" | 11" | — |
| 2021 | 23" | 12" | 7" |
| 2017 | 23" | 11" | 11" |
| 2013 | 26" | 9" | 11" |
| 2009 | 27" | 7" | 9" |
| 2005 | 26" | 7" | 11" |
| 2001 | 24" | 8" | 10" |
| 1997 | 27" | 10" | 12" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Crappie · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
Crappie · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
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 | 202,500 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 202,500 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 202,500 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 188,500 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 188,500 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 188,500 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 189,393 fry |
| 2016 | Yellow Perch | 1,943 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Currant Lake is a 394-acre, class 43 lake that has a maximum depth of 9.5 ft. and is located southwest of the City of Balaton in Murray County. Currant Lake is managed primarily for Walleye and secondarily for Black Crappie and Yellow Perch. Currant Lake was surveyed during the week of June 9, 2025 to monitor fish populations using three gill nets and nine trap nets.
Walleye catch rates in Currant Lake have varied from 0.0 per gill net in 1984 and 2005 to 32.3 per gill net in 2017. Prior to 2017, Walleye catch rates in gill nets averaged 2.5 per gill net. Catch rates in 2017 and 2021 increased significantly to 32.3 and 33.3 per gill net, respectively. In 2025, the Walleye catch rate decreased to levels more characteristic of Current Lake to 7.0 per gill net, just below the long-term average of 8.4 per gill net and within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (2.3 to 18.1 per gill net). Lengths of Walleye ranged from 6.9 to 27.4 inches and averaged 18.8 inches, with 67 percent of Walleye sampled being greater than 20.0 inches. Six year classes of Walleye were sampled including age-1, age-2, age-3, and-4, age-5 and age-8. All Walleye sampled corresponded to stocking events except the 2020 and the 2022-year class, which were likely from natural reproduction. Growth of Walleye in Currant Lake decreased since 2021 as mean length at age 1 and age 2 in 2025 was 7.3 and 11.7 inches, respectively, compared to mean lengths at age 1 and age 4 in 2021 of 10.4 and 18.6 inches respectively. Mean relative weight of Walleye was 93, indicating that prey is available; however, we noted that Walleyes appeared to be skinny at the time of the survey, and catch of prey species was low. Although the catch rate had declined from the two previous surveys, it met the management goal of 7.0 per gill net. Overall, very few fish of all species were caught in this survey, presenting the possibility that fish movement was limited during this time frame.
Read the full DNR narrative
The Yellow Perch catch rate decreased from 73.7 per gill net in 2021 to 13.0 per gill net in 2025, which is slightly above the long-term average of 12.4 per gill net, and is within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (2.7 to 25.0 per gill net). Despite the decrease in catch rate, 70 percent of Yellow Perch were 9.0 inches or greater in length. Yellow Perch Lengths ranged from 4.7 to 11.8 inches and averaged 9.1 inches. Mean Relative weight of Yellow Perch was 117, suggesting that forage is readily available for Yellow Perch. Adult brood fish are present in Currant Lake, thus stocking is not needed as the management goal of at least 2.0 per gill net was met.
Historically Black Crappie abundance ranged from 1.7 per trap net in 1984 to 58.4 per trap net in 1997. The most recent catch rate in 2021 was 14.9 per trap net. No Black Crappie were sampled during the 2025 survey. Pre-spawn adult Black Crappie will be stocked in the spring of 2026 to jumpstart the population.
The Bigmouth Buffalo catch rate decreased from 70.3 per gill net in 2021 to 0.7 per gill net in 2025. Other species sampled included Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Brown Bullhead, and Yellow Bullhead.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Currant Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Currant 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
- Currant Lake (E) (trailer launch)
- Currant Lake (W) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Currant Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Iron Lake · 282 ac · 4 mi
- East Twin Lake · 357 ac · 5.9 mi
- West Twin Lake · 220 ac · 6.5 mi
- Yankton Lake · 403 ac · 6.9 mi
- Rock Lake · 379 ac · 7.6 mi
- McKay Lake · 167 ac · 8.2 mi
- Lake of the Hill · 147 ac · 8.9 mi
- Sarah Lake · 1,209 ac · 9.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Currant Lake?
Currant Lake reaches 9.5 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Currant Lake?
Currant Lake covers 406 acres with about 4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Currant Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Currant Lake average 1.1 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Currant Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Currant Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Currant Lake have a public access?
Yes. Currant Lake has 2 public access sites, including Currant Lake (E) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Currant Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Currant Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Currant Lake in 2025, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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