Minnesota · Itasca County
Dixon Lake Fishing guide
Dixon Lake is a 622-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 29 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 18 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers1.7per gill net19"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 20 fish
2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2015Lengths measured · 30 fish
2009Lengths measured · 39 fish
2003No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeExcellent numbers15per gill net18"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 157 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 157 fish
2022Lengths measured · 67 fish
2015Lengths measured · 62 fish
2009Lengths measured · 77 fish
2003BluegillJust a few3.8per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 294 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 100 fish
2024Lengths measured · 147 fish
2023Lengths measured · 47 fish
2022Lengths measured · 136 fish
2017CrappieJust a few0.3per trap net9"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 222 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 92 fish
2024Lengths measured · 99 fish
2023Lengths measured · 31 fish
2022Lengths measured · 99 fish
2017Yellow perchExcellent numbers13.6per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 144 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 144 fish
2022Lengths measured · 60 fish
2015Lengths measured · 91 fish
2009Lengths measured · 147 fish
2003Rates 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 Dixon Lake through the year
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 77% 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.
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 77% 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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 34" | 26" | 18" |
| 2015 | 31" | 25" | — |
| 2009 | 28" | 27" | — |
| 2003 | 29" | 24" | — |
| 1997 | 32" | 24" | 2" |
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:
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
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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
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 | 462,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 462,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 462,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 616,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Dixon Lake, which is located partially within Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe nation, was conducted on August 25th and 27th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample six stations, a 15-foot seine was used to sample four stations, and site conditions (i.e., dense aquatic vegetation) prevented the use of seines at four stations. Nearshore sampling captured 17 species of fish including three species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, and Iowa Darter) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead).
The nearshore data was combined with gill net and trap net data from an August 2024 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Dixon Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score above the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River - Headwaters Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Dixon Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Dixon Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Dixon 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
- Dixon Lake (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Dixon Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Dunbar Lake · 268 ac · 3.4 mi
- Decker Lake · 325 ac · 5.8 mi
- Round Lake · 2,860 ac · 6.2 mi
- Natures Lake · 2,249 ac · 8.8 mi
- Moose Lake · 601 ac · 9.1 mi
- Sunken Lake · 45 ac · 10 mi
- Shallow Pond · 225 ac · 10 mi
- Winnibigoshish Lake · 56,471 ac · 10 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Dixon Lake?
Dixon Lake reaches 29 ft at its deepest point; about 77% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Dixon Lake?
Dixon Lake covers 622 acres with about 9.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Dixon Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Dixon Lake average 5.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Dixon Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Dixon Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Dixon Lake have a public access?
Yes. Dixon Lake has one public access site: Dixon Lake (carry-in).
How big do northern pike get in Dixon Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Dixon Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Dixon Lake in 2025, the most recent of 18 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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