Minnesota · Carlton County
Fond du Lac Reservoir Fishing guide
Fond du Lac Reservoir is a 201-acre lake in Carlton County, Minnesota, reaching 59 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 2 times, most recently in 2015, with walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 11 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers3.5per gill net12"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 22 fish
2015Lengths measured · 24 fish
2001Smallmouth bassPresent0.8per gill net12"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 20 fish
2015Lengths measured · 31 fish
2001CrappieJust a few3.1per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Rock bassOne of the best around3.9per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 47 fish
2015Lengths measured · 22 fish
2001Channel catfishOne of the best around21.3per gill net11"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 139 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 139 fish
2015Lengths measured · 42 fish
2001Rates 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 Fond du Lac Reservoir through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3 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. On a lake that drops to 59 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.
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn. In 3 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 59 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 22" | 15" | 18" |
| 2001 | 24" | 16" | 23" |
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2015 survey
A standard survey was conducted on Fond du Lac Reservoir during the summer of 2015 to evaluate and update information about fish populations after the historic flood of 2012. Walleye and Smallmouth Bass are the primary management species for Fond du Lac Reservoir.
Walleye abundance of 3.5 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota Lakes. Walleye average length was 12.9 inches, with fish weighing about a pound on average.
Read the full DNR narrative
Smallmouth Bass abundance of 0.8 per gillnet lift was above average compared to other Minnesota lakes. Average length was 11.7 inches. Smallmouth Bass abundance of 2.0 per trapnet lift was above average compared to other Minnesota lakes. Average length was 12.1 inches.
Currently, the best fishing opportunity in Fond du Lac Reservoir is for Channel Catfish. Channel Catfish abundance of 21.3 per gillnet lift was well above average compared to previous surveys and was a historic high catch rate for Fond du Lac Reservoir. Average length and weight was 14.0 inches and 1.5 pounds but fish up to 30.7 inches were sampled. Anglers should expect good catches of Channel Catfish for the next several years as strong 2012 and 2013 year-class will be entering the creel.
Black Crappie abundance of 3.1 per trapnet lift was above average compared to other Minnesota Lakes. Prior to this survey, Black Crappie had not been sampled in trapnets since 1981. Mean length was 9.7 inches but only 27% of the sample captured exceeded 10 inches.
Minnesota State Highway 210 through Jay Cooke State Park provides angler access to Fond du Lac Reservoir. The road has been closed for the past several years after catastrophic damage as a result of the historic flood of June, 2012. Although the road is currently being rebuilt, angler access continues to be restricted until the road is reopened, which is tentatively scheduled for October, 2016.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Fond du Lac Reservoir fishing reports
Recent reports on Fond du Lac Reservoir 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
- St. Louis River, Fond du Lac Reservoir (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Fond du Lac Reservoir depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Forbay Lake · 35 ac · 2.2 mi
- Thomson Reservoir · 390 ac · 4.3 mi
- Scanlon Reservoir · 71 ac · 6.1 mi
- Chub Lake · 313 ac · 7.4 mi
- Hay Lake · 140 ac · 8.4 mi
- Twin (Lakes) Lake · 2 ac · 12 mi
- Blackhoof Lake · 41 ac · 13.3 mi
- Little Grand Lake · 65 ac · 13.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Fond du Lac Reservoir?
Fond du Lac Reservoir reaches 59 ft at its deepest point; about 56% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Fond du Lac Reservoir?
Fond du Lac Reservoir covers 201 acres with about 5.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Fond du Lac Reservoir?
DNR Secchi readings on Fond du Lac Reservoir average 3 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Fond du Lac Reservoir?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2015) record walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, channel catfish.
Is Fond du Lac Reservoir stocked?
No stocking is on record for Fond du Lac Reservoir in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Fond du Lac Reservoir have a public access?
Yes. Fond du Lac Reservoir has one public access site: St. Louis River, Fond du Lac Reservoir (carry-in).
How big do walleye get in Fond du Lac Reservoir?
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 2001.
When was Fond du Lac Reservoir last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Fond du Lac Reservoir in 2015, the most recent of 2 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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