Minnesota · St. Louis County
Eagles Nest #3 Lake Fishing guide
Eagles Nest #3 Lake is a 1,028-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota, reaching 49 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 11.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeOne of the best around15.9per gill net9"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 202 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 202 fish
2025Lengths measured · 210 fish
2020Lengths measured · 110 fish
2015Lengths measured · 161 fish
2010No recent survey rating.
Smallmouth bassGood numbers35.2per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 89 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 89 fish
2025Lengths measured · 61 fish
2020Lengths measured · 66 fish
2015Lengths measured · 34 fish
2010Northern pikeJust a few0.4per gill net25"Typical39"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 12 fish
2025Lengths measured · 25 fish
2020Lengths measured · 12 fish
2015Lengths measured · 11 fish
2010BluegillJust a few1.5per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 18 fish
2025Lengths measured · 18 fish
2020Lengths measured · 1 fish
2015Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2010Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No recent survey rating.
Yellow perchJust a few0.7per gill net2"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 197 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 197 fish
2025Lengths measured · 103 fish
2020Lengths measured · 146 fish
2015Lengths measured · 73 fish
2010Rock bassGood numbers1.1per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 23 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 23 fish
2025Lengths measured · 74 fish
2020Lengths measured · 55 fish
2015Lengths measured · 63 fish
2010Rates 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 Eagles Nest #3 Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 49 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.
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn. At 11.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 49 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25" | 19" | 39" |
| 2020 | 25" | 19" | 32" |
| 2015 | 28" | 19" | 39" |
| 2010 | 28" | 18" | 37" |
| 2005 | 27" | 17" | 36" |
| 2000 | 28" | 18" | 29" |
| 1995 | 29" | 18" | 29" |
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 2025 survey
Eagles Nest 3 (69-0285-03) is a 1,028-acre lake located 8 miles east of Tower. It is accessed by a concrete ramp off the Eagles Nest 3 access road which is off the Bear Head Lake State Park Road. A state park vehicle permit is required to launch and park at this access. The lake has a maximum depth of 49 feet and had light green colored water at the time of this survey due to a slight algae bloom. On August 18, 2025 the lake was thermally stratified with a surface temperature of 70 degrees F and a bottom temperature of 46 degrees F. Oxygen levels were adequate for gamefish to 26 feet where the temperature was 58 degrees F. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline are mostly bedrock, gravel, and sand with some muck in the bays. Aquatic vegetation is sparse due to a rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) infestation.
One hundred forty-three walleye were sampled in gill nets for a catch rate of 15.9 fish/net, which was very good compared to other similar lakes and the 2nd highest gill net catch rate on record for the lake. Walleye lengths ranged from 7 to over 22 inches with an average of nearly 13 inches. Walleye growth was considered average with four-year-old fish measuring just under 14 inches. Ages ranged from 0 to 14 years. Although still early, the age-1, 2024 year-class, appeared very strong and should provide good angling opportunities into the future. Presently, the 2021 and 2022 year-classes seem to be doing well. As of this survey, there was a fair number of younger fish in the lake. Although anglers may find an abundance of what appear to be small sized fish, as those year-classes age, catch rates of larger sized fish should improve.
Read the full DNR narrative
Spring night electrofishing was used to assess smallmouth and largemouth bass population. The lake was electrofished the night of May 28. No largemouth were sampled but 47 smallmouth were captured for a catch rate of 35.2 fish/hour, which was the highest catch rate on record for the lake. Lengths ranged from 6 to 20 inches with an average of nearly 15 inches. Thiry-four additional smallmouth were sampled in gill nets and six more were caught in trap nets. Those sizes ranged from 7.5 to just over 19 inches. Growth rates were very good with the average smallmouth reaching nearly 12 inches by four years old.
The northern pike gillnet catch rate was 0.4 fish/net which was the lowest on record for the lake. Only four fish were sampled, however they were all of good size ranging from 26 to 40 inches. Eight additional pike were sampled in trap nets. Sizes were generally good here as well with fish up to 30 inches in the catch. Eagles Nest 3 has not been typically not thought of as a northern pike destination fishery. Numbers are generally low, but sizes can be decent.
The bluegill trapnet catch was 1.5 fish/net which was low compared to other similar lakes and shows a continued decline since around the year 2000. This drop was likely due to a decrease in vegetation and other available habitat due to rusty crayfish. Sizes of bluegill in 2025 ranged from 3 to 9 inches with an average of 6 inches.
Small mesh gill nets were set to monitor invasive rainbow smelt presence in downstream Eagles Nest 1 and 2 lakes. In seven surveys since 1984, the only smelt ever caught were three fish in 2005. These nets however did catch a considerable number of small yellow perch in 2025, with a catch rate of 48.0/net.
Rusty crayfish have been in Eagles Nest 3 since at least 1987. The 2025 gillnet catch rate was 54.4 crayfish/net which was lowest since the 1990 survey. Rusty crayfish numbers appear to quite variable across the survey years.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Eagles Nest #3 Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Eagles Nest #3 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
- Eagles Nest Lake (3) (trailer launch)
- Eagles Nest Lake (3) (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Eagles Nest #3 Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Eagles Nest #1 Lake · 324 ac · 1.2 mi
- Cub Lake · 8 ac · 1.3 mi
- Eagles Nest #2 Lake · 388 ac · 1.3 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 40 ac · 1.5 mi
- Skeleton Lake · 63 ac · 1.7 mi
- Norberg Lake · 7 ac · 1.8 mi
- Eagles Nest No. Four Lake · 178 ac · 1.8 mi
- Bear Head Lake · 662 ac · 2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Eagles Nest #3 Lake?
Eagles Nest #3 Lake reaches 49 ft at its deepest point; about 54% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Eagles Nest #3 Lake?
Eagles Nest #3 Lake covers 1,028 acres with about 16.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Eagles Nest #3 Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Eagles Nest #3 Lake average 11.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Eagles Nest #3 Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Eagles Nest #3 Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Eagles Nest #3 Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Eagles Nest #3 Lake have a public access?
Yes. Eagles Nest #3 Lake has 2 public access sites, including Eagles Nest Lake (3) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Eagles Nest #3 Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Eagles Nest #3 Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Eagles Nest #3 Lake in 2025, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Eagles Nest #3 Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Eagles Nest #3 Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report