Minnesota · Wright County
Dean Lake Fishing guide
Dean Lake sits in Wright County, Minnesota, and covers 176 acres, reaching 20 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.1 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.9per gill net8"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 67 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 18 fish
2019Lengths measured · 49 fish
2011Lengths measured · 56 fish
2001Largemouth bassLast stocked 2022Good numbers51.9per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 175 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 74 fish
2019Lengths measured · 101 fish
2011Lengths measured · 20 fish
2001Northern pikeJust a few2.8per gill net26"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 43 fish
2019Lengths measured · 6 fish
2011Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 9 fish
2001Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillLast stocked 2022Just a few22per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 568 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 167 fish
2019Lengths measured · 401 fish
2011Lengths measured · 2015 fish
2001CrappieGood numbers22.2per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1355 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2019Lengths measured · 42 fish
2019Lengths measured · 1313 fish
2011Lengths measured · 126 fish
2001Yellow perchExcellent numbers30.7per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 188 fish
Recent · 2011Lengths measured · 188 fish
2011Lengths measured · 89 fish
2001No 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 Dean Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 2.1 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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. With 71% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.1 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 71% 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20" | 28" | — |
| 2011 | 19" | 23" | 12" |
| 2001 | 14" | 22" | 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:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
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 | 63,407 fry · 2,884 fingerlings · 207 yearlings |
| 2022 | Bluegill Sunfish | 141 adults |
| 2022 | Largemouth Bass | 34 adults |
| 2022 | Walleye | 100,000 fry · 5,200 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,425 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 5,226 fingerlings · 198 yearlings · 20 adults |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,714 fingerlings · 125 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
Dean Lake is located 3.5 miles southeast of the city of Buffalo in southeastern Wright County. A public access with limited parking is located on the east side of the lake, adjacent to County Road 14. The lake is 173 acres with an average depth of 10 feet and a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake has poor water clarity and experiences heavy summer algal blooms. Dean Lake has experienced winterkills in the past, the most recent occurring in 1997. Aeration equipment has been available since 2002 and has been used fairly regularly since 2009 to prevent winterkill.
Walleye numbers have improved since the last survey in 2011 and were good compared to other lakes similar to Dean Lake. Fingerlings have been stocked every other year since 2011. Walleye averaged 20 inches and 3 pounds and the largest fish caught was 25 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
The Northern Pike catch rate increased from the previous survey and was in the expected values for lakes similar to Dean Lake. Anglers should have opportunities to catch quality-sized Northern Pike as fish in the survey averaged 28 inches. The largest fish caught in the survey was 37 inches. Sixty percent of Northern Pike were longer than 26 inches and 30% were longer than 30 inches.
The catch rate of Largemouth Bass was above average for the Sauk Rapids Management Area. Anglers should have opportunities to catch quality-sized Largemouth Bass as fish in the survey averaged 15 inches and the largest caught was 21 inches.
Black Crappie abundance was in the range of expected values for lakes similar to Dean Lake. The average length was nearly 8 inches and the largest crappie captured was 11 inches.
Bluegill abundance was in the range of expected values for lakes similar to Dean Lake. The average length of Bluegill were 6 inches.
Sportfish have benefitted from the successful winter aeration in past years. Land and lakeshore owners within the watershed can help improve water quality by using best management practices to reduce run-off and nutrient input to the lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Dean Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Dean 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
- Dean Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Dean Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Crawford Lake · 110 ac · 1.8 mi
- Mink Lake · 94 ac · 3.2 mi
- Buffalo Lake · 1,552 ac · 4.1 mi
- Deer Lake · 171 ac · 4.2 mi
- Goose Lake · 52 ac · 4.5 mi
- Charlotte Lake · 253 ac · 4.7 mi
- Martha Lake · 103 ac · 4.9 mi
- Washington Lake · 156 ac · 5.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Dean Lake?
Dean Lake reaches 20 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10.4 ft; about 71% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Dean Lake?
Dean Lake covers 176 acres with about 2.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Dean Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Dean Lake average 2.1 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Dean Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, white bass.
Is Dean Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Dean Lake have a public access?
Yes. Dean Lake has one public access site: Dean Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Dean Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 20"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2001.
When was Dean Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Dean Lake in 2019, the most recent of 6 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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