Minnesota · Chisago County
Fish Lake Fishing guide
Fish Lake sits in Chisago County, Minnesota, and covers 319 acres, reaching 57 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2020, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 6 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.4per gill net20"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 43 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018Lengths measured · 6 fish
2018Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 37 fish
2011Lengths measured · 35 fish
2006Lengths measured · 35 fish
2001Largemouth bassFair numbers46.9per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 160 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018 + 2020Lengths measured · 8 fish
2020Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 60 fish
2018Lengths measured · 92 fish
2011Lengths measured · 36 fish
2006Northern pikeFair numbers9per gill net20"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 171 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018 + 2020Lengths measured · 7 fish
2020Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 86 fish
2018Lengths measured · 78 fish
2011Lengths measured · 53 fish
2006BluegillJust a few16per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 448 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018 + 2020Lengths measured · 139 fish
2020Lengths measured · 218 fish
2018Lengths measured · 91 fish
2011Lengths measured · 166 fish
2006CrappieJust a few1.8per trap net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 75 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018 + 2020Lengths measured · 13 fish
2020Lengths measured · 36 fish
2018Lengths measured · 26 fish
2011Lengths measured · 34 fish
2006Rates 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 Fish 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. On a lake that drops to 57 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.
- 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 57 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | — | 14" | 22" |
| 2018 | 30" | 17" | 34" |
| 2011 | 26" | 17" | 26" |
| 2006 | 26" | 18" | 29" |
| 2001 | 28" | 19" | 28" |
| 1996 | 25" | 18" | 29" |
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 35,320 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 35,250 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 71,243 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 141,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 141,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 141,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 140,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 141,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 141,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2020 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Fish Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff starting on July 27, 2020. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sites with three sites sampled from the boat. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample three sites, a 15-foot seine was used at four sites, and deep, soft sediments prevented the use of seines at three sampling sites. Nearshore sampling captured 19 native species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Least Darter) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish).
A summer trap net survey was conducted in conjunction with the targeted survey of the nearshore fish community. Bluegill and Pumpkinseed dominated the trap net catch numbers, but only comprised approximately 46% of total trap net biomass. Of the Bluegills sampled, 50% were between 5 and 7 inches, 6% were over 7 inches and no Bluegills over 8 inches were sampled.
Read the full DNR narrative
These trap net and nearshore survey data are combined with data from an August 2018 gill net survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (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. 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. The FIBI score for Fish Lake is above an impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes and indicates an exceptional fish community is present in this lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Lower St. Croix River Watershed assessment of surface waters process completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Fish Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Fish 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
- Fish Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Fish Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Horseshoe Lake · 224 ac · 1.3 mi
- Rabour Lake · 53 ac · 2.6 mi
- Mandall Lake · 47 ac · 2.9 mi
- Neander Lake · 57 ac · 3.3 mi
- Goose Lake · 732 ac · 3.8 mi
- Skogman Lake · 228 ac · 5.8 mi
- Krans Lake · 35 ac · 6.4 mi
- East Rush Lake · 1,494 ac · 7.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Fish Lake?
Fish Lake reaches 57 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 16 ft; about 44% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Fish Lake?
Fish Lake covers 319 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Fish Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Fish Lake average 6.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Fish Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2020) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Fish Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Fish Lake have a public access?
Yes. Fish Lake has one public access site: Fish Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Fish Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 30"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Fish Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Fish Lake in 2020, the most recent of 8 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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