Minnesota · Murray County
Fox Lake Fishing guide
Fox Lake is a 172-acre lake in Murray County, Minnesota, reaching 8.5 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 1 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, northern pike, bluegill and crappie in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers3.5per gill net20"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2023Lengths measured · 1 fish
2023Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 18 fish
2020Lengths measured · 2 fish
2014Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2002Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillJust a few2.4per trap net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 19 fish
2020Lengths measured · 3 fish
2002Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
CrappieLast stocked 2023One of the best around31.1per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 323 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2023Lengths measured · 17 fish
2023Lengths measured · 306 fish
2020Lengths measured · 19 fish
2014Lengths measured · 1001 fish
2002Channel catfishOne of the best around3.4per trap net19"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2020 + 2023Lengths measured · 5 fish
2023Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 52 fish
2020Lengths measured · 2 fish
2014Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates 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 Fox Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 1 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. 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 8.5-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 1 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 8.5-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 | Walleye | Northern pike | Crappie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 9" | — | 11" |
| 2020 | 26" | 31" | 11" |
| 2014 | 19" | — | 13" |
| 2002 | 10" | — | 12" |
| 1996 | 17" | 29" | 12" |
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
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
Crappie · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
Crappie · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Northern Pike | 375 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Crappie | 210 adults |
| 2021 | Northern Pike | 94 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Northern Pike | 1,840 fingerlings · 163 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Fox Lake is a 176-acre, class 43 lake located in Murray County approximately 4.5 miles north of the City of Currie. Fox Lake has a maximum depth of 8.5 feet and has a history of poor water quality (secchi depth=0.7 ft.), likely a result of a highly agricultural watershed. An unknown sized culvert connects Fox Lake and Bloody Lake (although not visually apparent), as water has been observed draining west to east under the road during high water. Currently, Fox Lake is managed as a "pike/perch" fishery, with Yellow Perch being the primary management species, and Northern Pike and Black Crappie being the secondary management species. Dissolved oxygen levels were less than 1.0 parts per million throughout much of the winter of 2022-2023, below the threshold of 2.0 ppm when fish begin to be stressed. Additionally, windrows of dead fish were observed along the gravel road on the west side of Fox Lake when the ice came off in the spring. A survey was conducted on May 15, 2023, using boat electrofishing to determine the extent of the winterkill on Fox Lake. During the standard survey in 2020, 11 species of fish were sampled in Fox Lake.
Nine species of fish were sampled in the 2023 winterkill check including Bigmouth Buffalo (20.0 per hour), Black Bullhead (8.0 per hour), Black Crappie (68.0 per hour), Channel Catfish (20.0 per hour), Common Carp (12.0 per hour), Fathead Minnow (3169.0 per hour), Spotfin Shiner (4.0 per hour), Walleye (4.0 per hour), and Yellow Perch (4.0 per hour). Black Crappie and Channel Catfish are susceptible to low dissolved oxygen levels, so the presence of these species in the winterkill check indicates that it was a minor winterkill at Fox Lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Fox Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Fox 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
- Fox Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Fox Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Bloody Lake · 274 ac · 1.3 mi
- Shetek Lake · 3,462 ac · 3.3 mi
- Buffalo Lake · 127 ac · 5.2 mi
- Sarah Lake · 1,209 ac · 6.2 mi
- Laura Lake · 22 ac · 8.8 mi
- Lake of the Hill · 147 ac · 9.7 mi
- Iron Lake · 282 ac · 11.3 mi
- Louisa Lake · 230 ac · 12.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Fox Lake?
Fox Lake reaches 8.5 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Fox Lake?
Fox Lake covers 172 acres with about 2.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Fox Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Fox Lake average 1 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Fox Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Fox Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked northern pike in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Fox Lake have a public access?
Yes. Fox Lake has one public access site: Fox Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Fox Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Fox Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Fox Lake in 2023, the most recent of 5 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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