Minnesota · Hubbard County
First Crow Wing Lake Fishing guide
First Crow Wing Lake covers 522 acres in Hubbard County, Minnesota, reaching 15 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 9.1 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeGood numbers14.2per gill net20"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 98 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 98 fish
2024Lengths measured · 128 fish
2019Lengths measured · 140 fish
2014Lengths measured · 45 fish
2009BluegillJust a few25per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 483 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 483 fish
2024Lengths measured · 294 fish
2019Lengths measured · 176 fish
2014Lengths measured · 397 fish
2009CrappieJust a few0.1per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 59 fish
2024Lengths measured · 58 fish
2019Lengths measured · 25 fish
2014Lengths measured · 21 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 First Crow Wing Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 15-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 100% 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 15-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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 31" | 26" | 17" |
| 2019 | 28" | 27" | 19" |
| 2014 | 34" | 28" | 20" |
| 2009 | 34" | 21" | 18" |
| 2004 | 31" | 25" | 16" |
| 1997 | 35" | 25" | 17" |
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:
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
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 | Walleye | 902 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 4,232 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 6,768 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 542 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
First Crow Wing Lake is located seven miles east of Hubbard in southern Hubbard County. First Crow Wing is part of a chain of lakes running from Eleventh Crow Wing Lake at the headwaters, down to First Crow Wing Lake. First Crow Wing Lake has a surface area of 522 acres and a maximum depth of 15 feet. A DNR-owned public access is located south of the lake on the Crow Wing River, off County Road 109. A DNR-owned undeveloped access for carry-in craft, and winter access is located on the northwest shore of the lake as part of the Crow Wing Chain Wildlife Management Area. Boating access is also available from the Crow Wing River connecting it to Second Crow Wing Lake, although the river can be very shallow with dense stands of wild rice.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. First Crow Wing Lake is in Lake Class 39. Class 39 lakes are generally shallow with a high littoral area (less than 15 feet in depth), and a regularly shaped shoreline. Other class 39 lakes in the Park Rapids area include: Fourth Crow Wing, Ham, Hennepin, Loon, Minnie, Paine, Peysenski, Portage, Rice, Shallow, Upper Twin, Wolf, Hungryman and Stocking.
Read the full DNR narrative
First Crow Wing Lake supports a healthy panfish population and can provide good fishing for Black Crappie and Bluegill. Black Crappie abundance was up, but still moderate numbers compared to other local lakes. Most of the crappies were 8 - 9 inches. With fish up to 12.2 inches. Bluegills were sampled in good numbers, similar to past surveys. Anglers will find most Bluegill and Pumpkinseed in the 5.5 - 9-inch size range. A special regulation of a daily limit of 5 for Bluegill was implemented in 2022. The objective of the lowered bag limit is to spread out the harvest and allow for more fish to attain larger sizes (8-10 inches).
Summer sampling show Largemouth Bass were good sized and moderate numbers. They had an average length of 14.3 inches, with fish sampled up to 17 inches.
Anglers can expect to find an abundant population of Northern Pike in First Crow Wing Lake. Northern Pike had an average length and weight of 21 inches and 2 pounds, with the largest measured at 31.5 inches in 2024. Walleyes were found in low numbers but were generally a nice size. They had an average length of 18 inches, with fish sampled up to 27 inches. Yellow Perch, an important forage species for both Walleye and Northern Pike were sampled in low numbers. No perch over 8 inches were sampled, making most fish too small for anglers.
First Crow Wing Lake was listed in 2011 as infested with faucet snails, an aquatic invasive species (AIS). To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
First Crow Wing Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on First Crow Wing 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
- DNR access: On Crow Wing River upstream of dam
- DNR access: Undeveloped carry-in access located on the northwest shore of the lake.
DNR bathymetry
First Crow Wing Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Second Crow Wing Lake · 221 ac · 1.3 mi
- Third Crow Wing Lake · 643 ac · 2 mi
- Palmer Lake · 146 ac · 2 mi
- Fourth Crow Wing Lake · 434 ac · 2.9 mi
- Island Lake · 225 ac · 3.4 mi
- Duck Lake · 326 ac · 3.5 mi
- Big Stony Lake · 343 ac · 4.6 mi
- Nagel Lake · 69 ac · 5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is First Crow Wing Lake?
First Crow Wing Lake reaches 15 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 4 ft; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is First Crow Wing Lake?
First Crow Wing Lake covers 522 acres with about 4.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in First Crow Wing Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on First Crow Wing Lake average 9.1 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in First Crow Wing Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is First Crow Wing Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2018.
Does First Crow Wing Lake have a public access?
Yes. First Crow Wing Lake has 2 public access sites, including a DNR access (On Crow Wing River upstream of dam).
How big do northern pike get in First Crow Wing Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 31"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was First Crow Wing Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed First Crow Wing Lake in 2024, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
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