Minnesota · Becker County
Floyd Lake Fishing guide
Floyd Lake covers 1,178 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 34 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 10.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.9per gill net19"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 40 fish
2021Lengths measured · 44 fish
2016Lengths measured · 38 fish
2011Lengths measured · 62 fish
2006Largemouth bassPresent3.8per gill net12"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 49 fish
2021Lengths measured · 101 fish
2016Lengths measured · 46 fish
2011Lengths measured · 50 fish
2006Northern pikeGood numbers14.2per gill net17"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 139 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 139 fish
2021Lengths measured · 179 fish
2016Lengths measured · 115 fish
2011Lengths measured · 168 fish
2006BluegillJust a few6.7per trap net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 217 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 217 fish
2021Lengths measured · 634 fish
2016Lengths measured · 389 fish
2011Lengths measured · 471 fish
2006CrappiePresent1.7per gill net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2021Lengths measured · 9 fish
2016Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2011Lengths measured · 23 fish
2006Rock bassGood numbers0.9per trap net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 24 fish
2021Lengths measured · 21 fish
2016Lengths measured · 1 fish
2011Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 50 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 Floyd Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 73% 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 73% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34" | 24" | 17" |
| 2016 | 36" | 27" | 19" |
| 2011 | 32" | 28" | 16" |
| 2006 | 33" | 28" | 15" |
| 2001 | 34" | 28" | 13" |
| 1996 | 33" | 26" | 13" |
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 · 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
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | 5,091 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 4,840 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 21,104 fingerlings · 336 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 6,402 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 2,698 fingerlings · 350 yearlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 22,608 fingerlings · 98 yearlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 9,592 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 861,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Floyd (a.k.a., Big Floyd) Lake is a 1,212-acre lake located in Becker County two miles north of the city of Detroit Lakes. Floyd Lake's shoreline is heavily developed, and the lake receives a high amount of angling pressure and recreational use. Floyd Lake consists of two basins, the shallow larger main basin and the deeper more productive north basin (commonly referred to as Mud Lake). Zebra mussels were discovered in the lake in 2018. A daily limit regulation of five sunfish is in place on the lake. Floyd Lake provides angling opportunities for Northern Pike, Walleye, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Black Crappie. A standard fisheries survey was completed on Floyd Lake in June 2021.
Walleye abundance has been stable in Floyd Lake since 1991. The 2021 average catch rate of Walleye was about four per gill net. Sampled Walleye ranged in length from 9.5 to 23.7 inches, averaging 18.7 inches long.
Read the full DNR narrative
The average catch rate of Northern Pike was roughly 13 pike per gill net, slightly lower than the historical average (about 15 pike per gill net). Sampled pike ranged in length from 9.9 to 34.6 inches, averaging 18.1 inches long. Of the sampled pike, 55.9% measured between 14 and 19 inches, indicative of a population dominated by small to moderately sized fish.
Trap nets caught an average of seven Bluegill per net, the lowest catch rate observed since initial surveying. Although Bluegill abundance has declined, the size of fish has improved. Sampled Bluegill ranged in length from 2.6 to 9.9 inches, averaging 7.5 inches long. Based on age estimates, it takes about 12 years to grow a ten inch Bluegill in Floyd Lake.
Black Crappie observed during the survey ranged in size from 5 to 13 inches long. Sampled Largemouth Bass were also found to range in length from 7.9 to 17.4 inches, averaging 12.5 inches long. Yellow Perch catch rates have remained low in Floyd Lake since initial surveying and this remained the case in 2021--gill nets captured only one Yellow Perch per net. Additional species sampled in 2021 included Brown Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, and White Sucker.
Anglers can help maintain Floyd Lake's fishery by voluntarily releasing medium to large sized fish and harvesting smaller fish for eating, specifically Bluegill and Northern Pike. Shoreline owners can help to maintain or improve water quality and fish habitat in Floyd Lake by maintaining shoreline buffer zones, leaving stands of native aquatic vegetation intact, and by taking precautions to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species introductions.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Floyd Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Floyd 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
- Floyd Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Floyd Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Floyd Lake · 215 ac · 1 mi
- Long Lake · 415 ac · 4.4 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 361 ac · 5.8 mi
- Rock Lake · 1,196 ac · 5.9 mi
- Detroit Lake · 3,067 ac · 6 mi
- Munson Lake · 134 ac · 6.1 mi
- Muskrat Lake · 69 ac · 6.4 mi
- Rice Lake · 231 ac · 6.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Floyd Lake?
Floyd Lake reaches 34 ft at its deepest point; about 73% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Floyd Lake?
Floyd Lake covers 1,178 acres with about 9.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Floyd Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Floyd Lake average 10.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Floyd Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Floyd Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Floyd Lake have a public access?
Yes. Floyd Lake has one public access site: Floyd Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Floyd Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Floyd Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Floyd Lake in 2021, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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