Minnesota · Scott County
Fish Lake Fishing guide
Fish Lake sits in Scott County, Minnesota, and covers 176 acres, reaching 28 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 3.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.5per gill net10"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 4 fish
2025Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 26 fish
2024Lengths measured · 29 fish
2019Lengths measured · 11 fish
2014BluegillFair numbers41.8per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 783 fish
Recent · 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 171 fish
2025Lengths measured · 612 fish
2024Lengths measured · 457 fish
2019Lengths measured · 673 fish
2014CrappieJust a few2.4per trap net7"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 131 fish
Recent · 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 22 fish
2025Lengths measured · 109 fish
2024Lengths measured · 64 fish
2019Lengths measured · 39 fish
2014Yellow perchFair numbers3per gill net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 20 fish
2024Lengths measured · 18 fish
2019Lengths measured · 14 fish
2014Lengths measured · 34 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 Fish Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.5 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 3.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15" | 13" | — |
| 2024 | 22" | 15" | 35" |
| 2019 | 22" | 20" | 25" |
| 2014 | 17" | 15" | 34" |
| 2009 | 26" | 12" | 35" |
| 2003 | 27" | 13" | 37" |
| 1997 | 27" | 10" | 31" |
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 | 240 yearlings · 5 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 444 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 2,441 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,838 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 618 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Fish Lake was conducted on July 14- 15, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program (LBMA) 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 five stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at four stations. One station was not seined due to extremely dense vegetation. Nearshore sampling captured 13 species of fish including two species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blackchin Shiner and Iowa Darter) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by LBMA staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured 10 species of fish, including two that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish and Common Carp). Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number and by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2024 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., Blackchin Shiner, 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 web site.
Results from this survey suggest that Fish Lake is near the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which found that Fish Lake is vulnerable to impairment and may be adversely impacted by stressors. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Lower Minnesota River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Fish Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
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
- Cynthia Lake · 196 ac · 1.7 mi
- McMahon Lake · 187 ac · 2.7 mi
- Spring Lake · 592 ac · 3.2 mi
- Crystal Lake · 31 ac · 3.5 mi
- Upper Prior Lake · 386 ac · 4.2 mi
- Cleary Lake · 145 ac · 4.4 mi
- Cedar Lake · 793 ac · 5.3 mi
- Lower Prior Lake · 956 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Fish Lake?
Fish Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point; about 42% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Fish Lake?
Fish Lake covers 176 acres with about 2.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Fish Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Fish Lake average 3.5 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Fish Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) 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 2018.
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 22"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Fish Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Fish Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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