Minnesota · Sherburne County
Eagle Lake Fishing guide
Eagle Lake covers 462 acres in Sherburne County, Minnesota, reaching 18 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers1per gill net19"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 13 fish
2020Lengths measured · 33 fish
2012Lengths measured · 6 fish
2002Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Eagle 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 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. 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. A 18-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 3 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 71% 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. A 18-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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 18" | 31" | 8" |
| 2012 | 19" | 32" | 7" |
| 2002 | 16" | 36" | 7" |
| 1993 | 20" | 34" | 7" |
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 · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · 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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore and littoral fish species in Eagle Lake was conducted beginning on June 17th, 2021 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) 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 ten sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample eight stations and a 15-foot seine was used at two stations. Nearshore sampling captured 19 species of fish including four species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, and Iowa Darter), and two species that are tolerant of disturbance (Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from an August 24th, 2020 standard 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. Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, and Iowa Darter), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g. Black Bullhead, Green Sunfish, Common Carp). 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
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Mississippi River-St. Cloud Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Eagle Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Eagle 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
- Eagle Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Eagle Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Mitchell Lake · 170 ac · 3.2 mi
- Ann Lake · 183 ac · 3.4 mi
- Big Lake · 254 ac · 3.7 mi
- Birch Lake · 160 ac · 3.8 mi
- First Lake · 17 ac · 7.6 mi
- Mud Lake · 33 ac · 8 mi
- Long Lake · 96 ac · 8.6 mi
- Orono Lake · 301 ac · 8.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Eagle Lake?
Eagle Lake reaches 18 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10.7 ft; about 71% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Eagle Lake?
Eagle Lake covers 462 acres with about 4.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Eagle Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Eagle Lake average 3 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Eagle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Eagle Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Eagle Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Eagle Lake have a public access?
Yes. Eagle Lake has one public access site: Eagle Lake (trailer launch).
When was Eagle Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Eagle Lake in 2021, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
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