Minnesota · Wright County
Dutch Lake Fishing guide
Dutch Lake sits in Wright County, Minnesota, and covers 162 acres, reaching 21 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.1 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 4 times, most recently in 2016, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 10 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassFair numbers39.8per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 48 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 48 fish
2016Lengths measured · 27 fish
2006Northern pikeFair numbers8.2per gill net21"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 51 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 51 fish
2016Lengths measured · 16 fish
2006BluegillFair numbers30.4per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 291 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 291 fish
2016Lengths measured · 172 fish
2006CrappieFair numbers14.8per trap net7"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 318 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 318 fish
2016Lengths measured · 660 fish
2006Yellow perchExcellent numbers18per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 113 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 113 fish
2016Lengths measured · 17 fish
2006Rates 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
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 69% 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 2.1 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 69% 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.
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 | Northern pike | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 19" | 33" | 9" |
| 2006 | 20" | 33" | 8" |
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 · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
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
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Bottom Bouncer + Spinner Harness
full nightcrawler on a 2–3 hook
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 2016 survey
A survey of near shore fish species was conducted on Dutch Lake on July 25, 28, and 29, 2016 by Sauk Rapids Area staff. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the shoreline and each site was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining, except one site where soft sediments prevented the use of a seine.
Nearshore sampling captured 3 species of fish, including Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass. No intolerant species were collected. The near shore fish survey data is combined with gill net and trap net data from a July 2016 standard survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score based on expectations for similar lakes.
This survey is contributing to a watershed assessment process in coordination with the MN Pollution Control Agency. Dutch Lake is located in the Mississippi River - North Fork Crow River Watershed.
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)
DNR bathymetry
Dutch Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Howard Lake · 745 ac · 1.4 mi
- Ann Lake · 375 ac · 1.9 mi
- Emma Lake · 189 ac · 2.6 mi
- Little Waverly Lake · 338 ac · 3.1 mi
- Waverly Lake · 494 ac · 4.2 mi
- Mary Lake · 190 ac · 4.3 mi
- Dog Lake · 97 ac · 4.8 mi
- Ida Lake · 85 ac · 5.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Dutch Lake?
Dutch Lake reaches 21 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10 ft; about 69% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Dutch Lake?
Dutch Lake covers 162 acres with about 2.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Dutch Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Dutch Lake average 2.1 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Dutch Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2016) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
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 one public access site: Dutch Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Dutch Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2006.
When was Dutch Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Dutch Lake in 2016, the most recent of 4 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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