Minnesota · St. Louis County
Embarrass Lake Fishing guide
Embarrass Lake is a 463-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota, reaching 19 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 4.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Excellent numbers8.9per gill net12"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 107 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 107 fish
2023Lengths measured · 84 fish
2017Lengths measured · 53 fish
2012Lengths measured · 59 fish
2007No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few4.8per gill net18"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 57 fish
2023Lengths measured · 31 fish
2017Lengths measured · 40 fish
2012Lengths measured · 59 fish
2007BluegillJust a few3.3per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 32 fish
2023Lengths measured · 15 fish
2017Lengths measured · 20 fish
2012Lengths measured · 85 fish
2007CrappieJust a few4.2per trap net9"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 38 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 38 fish
2023Lengths measured · 9 fish
2017Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2012Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 33 fish
2007Yellow perchGood numbers6.6per gill net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 63 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 63 fish
2023Lengths measured · 85 fish
2017Lengths measured · 39 fish
2012Lengths measured · 18 fish
2007Rock bassOne of the best around3.1per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 28 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 28 fish
2023Lengths measured · 8 fish
2017Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2012Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2007No 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 Embarrass Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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. With 88% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 88% 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 19-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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 26" | — | 37" |
| 2017 | 27" | 17" | 24" |
| 2012 | 16" | — | 26" |
| 2007 | 22" | 4" | 25" |
| 2002 | 24" | 14" | 27" |
| 1997 | 20" | — | 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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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 · 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 5,104 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 5,712 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 4,599 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 3,254 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 4,266 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Embarrass Lake, was conducted on July 28th-30th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing and 1/8" mesh mini-fyke net were completed at 10 sampling stations. Additionally, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 10 stations. Nearshore sampling captured 18 species of fish, including four species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Burbot, Iowa Darter, Logperch, and Rock Bass) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead).
The nearshore data along with gill net and standard trap net data will be used to develop fish community models for Northeast Minnesota lakes, which will be used to measure lake health in this region. These models may function similarly to fish IBI models developed for lakes across much of the rest of the state. For additional information, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. You can help protect the fish community in Embarrass Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Embarrass Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Embarrass 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
- Embarrass Lake (N) (trailer launch)
- Embarrass Lake (S) (trailer launch)
- Embarrass Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Embarrass Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Sabin Lake · 156 ac · 1.5 mi
- Canton Pit · 161 ac · 2 mi
- Wynne Lake · 279 ac · 2.5 mi
- Cedar Island Lake · 205 ac · 2.7 mi
- Cedar Lake · 32 ac · 3 mi
- St James Pit · 124 ac · 3.5 mi
- Sabin Lake · 312 ac · 3.8 mi
- Silver Lake · 38 ac · 4.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Embarrass Lake?
Embarrass Lake reaches 19 ft at its deepest point; about 88% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Embarrass Lake?
Embarrass Lake covers 463 acres with about 8.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Embarrass Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Embarrass Lake average 4.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Embarrass Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, channel catfish.
Is Embarrass Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Embarrass Lake have a public access?
Yes. Embarrass Lake has 3 public access sites, including Embarrass Lake (N) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Embarrass Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Embarrass Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Embarrass Lake in 2025, the most recent of 10 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 Embarrass Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Embarrass Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report