Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Edna Lake Fishing guide
Edna Lake is a 156-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 63 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 16 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2015, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets. That survey is 11 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few5.2per gill net20"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 38 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 38 fish
2015Lengths measured · 27 fish
1999Lengths measured · 27 fish
1994BluegillJust a few25.4per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 230 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 230 fish
2015Lengths measured · 409 fish
1999Lengths measured · 398 fish
1994CrappieJust a few3.6per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 33 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 33 fish
2015Lengths measured · 27 fish
1999Lengths measured · 20 fish
1994No recent survey rating.
Rock bassGood numbers1.3per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 12 fish
2015Lengths measured · 13 fish
1999Lengths measured · 20 fish
1994Rates 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 Edna Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 16 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 63 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. At 16 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 63 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 25" | 11" | 32" |
| 1999 | 21" | 15" | 25" |
| 1994 | 25" | 10" | 24" |
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 · 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
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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | 945 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 360 yearlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 272 yearlings · 45 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2015 survey
Edna Lake is a 156 acre lake in west-central Crow Wing County, just north of the city of Nisswa. The maximum depth is 63 feet. The primary management species for Edna are northern pike and walleye. A standard survey was conducted the week of June 15, 2015.
The northern pike catch rate was 5.2/gill net. This is close to average for lakes like Edna. The average size was 20.3" with fish as large as 32.3" measured. However, only 10 percent of the sampled northern pike were 24" or greater. In order to improve northern pike size, anglers are encouraged to harvest smaller northern pike and release the larger ones.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleyes are stocked in Edna Lake every third year. Each stocking consists of 45 pounds of walleye fingerlings. Only 3 walleyes were sampled in the 2015 survey with both gill nets and trap nets. These fish were 20.5", 24.3", and 25.8" in length. Although numbers may not be high, anglers that catch a walleye may be rewarded with a quality sized fish.
Panfish, both black crappie and bluegill, are also available to anglers. The black crappie catch rate was 3.6/trap net, which is above average for lakes like Edna. The average size was 8.3" with the largest being 10.2". About 81 percent of the sampled black crappies were 8" or larger. The bluegill catch rate was 25.4/trap net, which is slightly above average for lakes similar to Edna. Bluegills averaged 6.1" with fish up to 8.7" sampled. Nearly 27 percent of bluegills were 7" or larger.
Another option for anglers of Edna Lake is tullibee. They were sampled at 3.2/gill net, which is slightly below average for lakes like Edna. The size of some tullibee was impressive, with 7 fish measuring at least 18".
Some other fish species sampled include hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, rock bass, and yellow bullhead.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Edna Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Edna 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
- Edna Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Edna Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Fawn Lake · 64 ac · 0.4 mi
- West Twin Lake · 128 ac · 1.1 mi
- Ray Lake · 143 ac · 1.2 mi
- Lower Cullen Lake · 560 ac · 1.2 mi
- Nisswa Lake · 219 ac · 1.3 mi
- Roy Lake · 320 ac · 1.3 mi
- Upper Gull Lake · 422 ac · 1.7 mi
- East Twin Lake · 163 ac · 1.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Edna Lake?
Edna Lake reaches 63 ft at its deepest point; about 58% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Edna Lake?
Edna Lake covers 156 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Edna Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Edna Lake average 16 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Edna Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2015) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Edna Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2023; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Edna Lake have a public access?
Yes. Edna Lake has one public access site: Edna Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Edna 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 1994.
When was Edna Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Edna Lake in 2015, the most recent of 5 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
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 Edna Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Edna Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report