Minnesota · Hennepin County
Dutch Lake Fishing guide
Dutch Lake sits in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and covers 175 acres, reaching 45 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeJust a few4per gill net20"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 27 fish
2024Lengths measured · 30 fish
2019Lengths measured · 15 fish
2014Lengths measured · 21 fish
2009BluegillJust a few25.3per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 489 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 489 fish
2024Lengths measured · 319 fish
2019Lengths measured · 282 fish
2014Lengths measured · 171 fish
2009CrappieJust a few3.2per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 50 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 50 fish
2024Lengths measured · 329 fish
2019Lengths measured · 118 fish
2014Lengths measured · 238 fish
2009No 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 Dutch Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3 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. On a lake that drops to 45 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. In 3 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. On a lake that drops to 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 21" | 16" | 34" |
| 2019 | — | 19" | 31" |
| 2014 | — | 20" | 33" |
| 2009 | — | 18" | 34" |
| 2003 | 18" | 17" | 33" |
| 1996 | — | 16" | 25" |
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Dutch Lake is a 172-acre lake with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Dutch is located north of the City of Mound, in southwest Hennepin County. Public access is provided by a city-owned boat ramp located on the southeast side of the lake. Dutch is primarily managed for Northern Pike, Bluegill, and Black Crappie, and also supports a healthy population of Largemouth Bass. DNR stocking of fish is limited to post-winterkill reintroductions.
A Standard Survey was conducted on Dutch Lake during the week of 7/22/2024. During the survey, water clarity was low, at 6 feet of visibility, and low oxygen below 9 feet. Eurasian Watermilfoil was found in Dutch Lake in 2016 and remains present. In 2021 a special regulation on Bluegill and Black Crappie went into effect, reducing the daily possession limit for each species to 5. The goal of this regulation is to increase the average size of Bluegill and Black Crappie in Dutch Lake.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike were sampled at moderate numbers in 2024, compared to similar lakes in the area. Average size of Northern Pike was 22.7 inches, with the largest measured at 34.1 inches. While 27% of the sampled pike fall within the protective slot (22-26 inches), plenty of harvest opportunity is available for anglers that wish to fill their 10 fish limit outside of the protected slot, with no more than 2 of those 10 fish over 26 inches.
Largemouth Bass electrofishing was not conducted during 2024, however 7 fish were incidentally sampled in gill nets, and 3 fish incidentally sampled in trap nets. The fish ranged from 9.8 to 16.5 inches in length, with an average length of 13.7 inches.
Bluegill were sampled at moderate numbers compared to similar lakes in the area. There were 226 Bluegill sampled in trap nets during the 2024 survey, with an average length of 6.0 inches, and the largest measured at 8.0 inches. While Bluegill tended to be small in 2024, the recently implemented special regulation is intended to increase the average size of fish in the lake. Bluegill grow fast in Dutch, so a reduction in angler harvest should lead to an improvement in fish size.
Black Crappie were sampled in moderate numbers compared to similar lakes in the area. The abundance of crappie was likely impacted by the 2024 die-off of this species, but these catch rates show that the fish were not totally lost by that event. Black Crappie die-offs can occur when lake water is very warm in the mid-summer months and the abundance of bacteria increases. The fish that are most susceptible to infection die, although the species is typically not totally wiped out from the lake. There were 50 Black Crappie sampled during the 2024 survey, with an average length of 7.7 inches and a maximum length of 10.4 inches.
Other fish species sampled in low abundances were Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Dutch Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Dutch 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
- Dutch Lake (trailer launch)
- Dutch Lake Middle School Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Dutch Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Long Lake · 70 ac · 1.3 mi
- Whaletail Lake · 510 ac · 2.1 mi
- Stone Lake · 101 ac · 3.9 mi
- Minnetonka Lake · 14,206 ac · 3.9 mi
- Zumbra-Sunny Lake · 271 ac · 4.3 mi
- Virginia Lake · 105 ac · 4.7 mi
- Parley Lake · 258 ac · 4.9 mi
- Auburn Lake · 291 ac · 5.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Dutch Lake?
Dutch Lake reaches 45 ft at its deepest point; about 47% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Dutch Lake?
Dutch Lake covers 175 acres with about 3.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Dutch Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Dutch Lake average 3 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Dutch Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Dutch Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Dutch Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Dutch Lake have a public access?
Yes. Dutch Lake has 2 public access sites, including Dutch Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Dutch Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 21"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Dutch Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Dutch Lake in 2024, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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