Minnesota · Le Sueur County
Emily Lake Fishing guide
Emily Lake is a 300-acre lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota, reaching 37 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.7 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassJust a few16.8per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2024Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 13 fish
2023Lengths measured · 116 fish
2017Lengths measured · 78 fish
2012Northern pikeLast stocked 2025Just a few1.5per gill net28"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 4 fish
2024Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2023Lengths measured · 41 fish
2017Lengths measured · 108 fish
2012BluegillGood numbers70.7per trap net3"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1271 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 976 fish
2024Lengths measured · 295 fish
2023Lengths measured · 419 fish
2017Lengths measured · 1394 fish
2012CrappieFair numbers17.8per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 445 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 186 fish
2024Lengths measured · 259 fish
2023Lengths measured · 699 fish
2017Lengths measured · 1615 fish
2012No 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 Emily Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.7 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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.
- 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. In 2.7 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.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26" | 16" | 37" |
| 2023 | 21" | 17" | 33" |
| 2017 | — | 21" | 36" |
| 2012 | 27" | 20" | 33" |
| 2007 | 25" | 15" | 28" |
| 2002 | 28" | 19" | 32" |
| 1995 | 25" | 5" | 33" |
| 1994 | 27" | — | 30" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Northern Pike | 3,000 |
| 2024 | Northern Pike | 4,125 |
| 2024 | Walleye | 165,000 fry |
| 2022 | Northern Pike | 32,895 fry |
| 2021 | Northern Pike | 17,016 fry |
| 2018 | Northern Pike | 30,000 fry |
| 2017 | Northern Pike | 30,000 fry |
| 2016 | Northern Pike | 29,960 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Emily Lake was conducted on July 15th 2024, 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 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample four stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at four stations. Two stations were not seined due to mucky substrate and dense vegetation. Nearshore sampling captured 8 species of fish including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Iowa Darter) and two that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Common Carp and Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured nine species of fish, two of which are considered tolerant of disturbance. Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Bigmouth Buffalo comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2023 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., Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish and 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.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Emily Lake may be adversely impacted by stressors as score is near impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Minnesota River - Mankato watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Emily Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted a survey of lakeshore habitat on Emily Lake on September 10th, 2024, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The survey consisted of 48 survey sites evenly spaced 200 meters around the lake. The average lakewide habitat score was 81.4 (+/- 3.2) out of 100 possible. A score of 81.4 indicates the lakewide shoreline condition is Moderately High (80-84.9).
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Emily Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Emily 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
- Emily Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Emily Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Washington Lake · 1,516 ac · 4.3 mi
- West Jefferson Lake · 439 ac · 5.1 mi
- Scotch Lake · 598 ac · 5.8 mi
- George Lake · 88 ac · 5.8 mi
- Middle Jefferson Lake · 667 ac · 6.7 mi
- Ballantyne Lake · 371 ac · 7.9 mi
- Eagle Lake · 898 ac · 7.9 mi
- East Jefferson Lake · 685 ac · 8.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Emily Lake?
Emily Lake reaches 37 ft at its deepest point; about 55% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Emily Lake?
Emily Lake covers 300 acres with about 6.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Emily Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Emily Lake average 2.7 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Emily Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Emily Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked northern pike in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Emily Lake have a public access?
Yes. Emily Lake has one public access site: Emily Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Emily 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 1994.
When was Emily Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Emily Lake in 2024, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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