Minnesota · Meeker County
Erie Lake Fishing guide
Erie Lake covers 190 acres in Meeker County, Minnesota, reaching 34 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 20 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.5per gill net20"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2025Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 15 fish
2023Lengths measured · 15 fish
2014Lengths measured · 17 fish
2009Largemouth bassGood numbers57.6per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2023Lengths measured · 386 fish
2019Lengths measured · 77 fish
2014Lengths measured · 133 fish
2009Northern pikeFair numbers7.2per gill net26"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 20 fish
2025Lengths measured · 42 fish
2023Lengths measured · 7 fish
2014Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 16 fish
2009BluegillGood numbers59.7per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1429 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 238 fish
2024Lengths measured · 347 fish
2023Lengths measured · 844 fish
2023Lengths measured · 778 fish
2014CrappieJust a few2.7per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 158 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 84 fish
2024Lengths measured · 23 fish
2023Lengths measured · 51 fish
2023Lengths measured · 52 fish
2014Yellow perchGood numbers8per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 66 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 9 fish
2023Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 57 fish
2023Lengths measured · 30 fish
2014Lengths measured · 166 fish
2009Rates 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 Erie 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.
- 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.
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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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 | Walleye | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | 24" | 33" |
| 2023 | 16" | 23" | 36" |
| 2019 | 20" | — | — |
| 2014 | 19" | 26" | 30" |
| 2009 | 19" | 27" | 35" |
| 2004 | 18" | 27" | 34" |
| 2000 | 20" | 27" | 34" |
| 1996 | 19" | 25" | 33" |
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
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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
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 | 41,465 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 41,517 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 2,182 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 2,674 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Erie is a small lake (189 acres) located south of the Town of Darwin. A small sized state-owned access, with a single cement boat ramp, is present on the south shore. Erie has three miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of thirty-four feet. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has divided Minnesota's lakes into 44 different classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Erie is a class 24 lake and other similar lakes in the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area are Francis and Little Swan Lakes in Meeker County. Erie is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass and Walleye. Ice-out trap netting was primarily conducted to monitor Erie's Northern Pike population. Other bycatch, except for Walleye, was not entered into the database, but field notes were recorded.
Northern Pike were present in low numbers, but average length was outstanding (26 inches). Maximum pike length was a respectable 33 inches. Approximately 50 percent of the pike catch was above the north-central pike zone's 22 to 26 inch protected slot limit regulation. Only one Walleye was encountered, but the water was still too cold, and this species had not yet begun their spawning run. The Walleye was just under 25 inches in length. Bycatch included many small - Bluegill, Black Crappie, Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish, Golden Shiner and Hybrid Sunfish. Much lower numbers of Bowfin (dogfish), Largemouth Bass and Common Carp were also netted, and released.
Read the full DNR narrative
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Over harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are typically moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters and lakeshore owners, and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. Erie Lake has the AIS Eurasian watermilfoil. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all lake water from their boat and bait buckets before leaving the lake. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local DNR office. Additional information on all these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Hutchinson Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Erie Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Erie 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
- Erie Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Erie Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Belle Lake · 864 ac · 2.2 mi
- Greenleaf Lake · 238 ac · 2.5 mi
- Cedar Lake · 1,860 ac · 3.2 mi
- Manuella Lake · 293 ac · 3.5 mi
- Willie Lake · 192 ac · 3.7 mi
- Stahl's Lake · 141 ac · 3.8 mi
- Stella Lake · 599 ac · 4 mi
- Jennie Lake · 1,069 ac · 4.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Erie Lake?
Erie Lake reaches 34 ft at its deepest point; about 43% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Erie Lake?
Erie Lake covers 190 acres with about 3.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Erie Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Erie Lake average 6.4 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Erie Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Erie Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Erie Lake have a public access?
Yes. Erie Lake has one public access site: Erie Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Erie Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 16"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Erie Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Erie Lake in 2025, the most recent of 20 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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