Minnesota · Douglas County
Freeborn Lake Fishing guide
Freeborn Lake is a 248-acre lake in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 18 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 3.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 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 2025Excellent numbers8.6per gill net16"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 104 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 62 fish
2020Lengths measured · 42 fish
2014Lengths measured · 47 fish
2009Lengths measured · 31 fish
2004Largemouth bassGood numbers77.1per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 163 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 14 fish
2020Lengths measured · 149 fish
2014Lengths measured · 34 fish
2009Lengths measured · 53 fish
2004Northern pikeGood numbers14.1per gill net19"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 195 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 115 fish
2020Lengths measured · 80 fish
2014Lengths measured · 60 fish
2009Lengths measured · 41 fish
2004BluegillJust a few22per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 311 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 85 fish
2020Lengths measured · 226 fish
2014Lengths measured · 38 fish
2009Lengths measured · 55 fish
2004CrappieJust a few4.2per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 131 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 86 fish
2020Lengths measured · 45 fish
2014Lengths measured · 3 fish
2009Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2004Yellow perchGood numbers9.5per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 115 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 110 fish
2020Lengths measured · 5 fish
2014Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 105 fish
2009Lengths measured · 69 fish
2004Rates 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 Freeborn Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.3 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. With 69% 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 18-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 3.3 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. With 69% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 18-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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 24" | 15" | 34" |
| 2014 | 26" | 19" | 31" |
| 2009 | 28" | 20" | 39" |
| 2004 | 27" | 20" | 33" |
| 1999 | 27" | 15" | 29" |
| 1994 | 24" | 19" | 30" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | 86,000 fry · 2,400 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 960 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 86,000 fry · 2,400 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 2,400 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 172,000 fry |
| 2020 | Walleye | 2,400 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 172,000 fry · 2,825 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 342 yearlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 172,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2020 survey
Freeborn Lake (247 acres) is a shallow, highly productive basin located north of Farwell. A concrete public access is found on the western shoreline off County Road 96. Average and maximum depths are 12 and 18 feet, respectively. Due to high productivity, water clarity was moderate (2.5 feet) at the time of the survey. High productivity allows for abundant, fast growing gamefish populations.
A standard fisheries survey was completed during summer 2020 to provide updated information on the fish community of Freeborn Lake. Standard survey components typically include spring electrofishing, gill nets, and trap nets. However, due to safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, gill nets were the only component used in 2020.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye catch rates (10.5/gill net) are the second highest reported in the past three decades. Most Walleye (70%) are a desirable size (15-20 inches), with the largest individual approaching 25 inches. High catch rates are due to strong 2017 and 2015 year classes. Growth rates were good. On average, it takes Walleye four years to reach 16 inches. Walleye fry are stocked on alternate years to maintain fishing opportunities. Fry stocking efforts appear highly successful in Freeborn Lake. Fry-stocked year classes account for over 80% of the current Walleye population. In addition, Walleye fingerlings have been stocked under private permit.
Catch rates of Northern Pike (19.3/gill net) have doubled from the previous survey. Seventy percent of pike sampled ranged from 15 to 22 inches in length. Maximum length was 34.5 inches. Freeborn Lake falls in the North-central Zone where all pike 22-26 inches must be immediately released. Anglers can keep up to 10 pike but no more than two can be longer than 26 inches. Harvesting smaller pike will help shift the population back towards larger individuals and reduce the number of predators for young Walleye and other gamefish. Largemouth Bass are common. Fourteen bass, ranging in length from 7.8 to 15.7 inches, were sampled in gill nets. Gill net catch rates of Bluegill were high (14.0/gill net). Bluegill averaged 6.8 inches, but the largest individual measured 8.5 inches. Growth rates were rapid. Individuals approached 7.5 inches in length at age 5. Black Crappie were also abundant in 2020. Average and maximum lengths for crappie were 7.6 and 10.8 inches, respectively. Average length will likely increase in the near future as a strong 2018 year class continues to grow. Yellow Perch are abundant (18.5/gill net), but few perch exceed 7 inches.
Other species recorded in the 2020 lake survey included hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, and Black, Brown and Yellow Bullhead. The next lake survey is tentatively scheduled for 2026.
Freeborn Lake is not currently known to have any aquatic invasive species. Anglers are reminded to drain boats and equipment prior to moving between bodies of water to minimize the risk of transporting aquatic invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Freeborn Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Freeborn 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
- Freeborn Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Freeborn Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lake Oscar · 997 ac · 2.4 mi
- Lake Rachel · 448 ac · 2.9 mi
- Blackwell Lake · 307 ac · 3.6 mi
- Grant Lake · 177 ac · 4.2 mi
- Pocket Lake · 263 ac · 4.8 mi
- Crooked Lake · 284 ac · 5.4 mi
- Mill Lake · 451 ac · 5.6 mi
- Round Lake · 81 ac · 5.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Freeborn Lake?
Freeborn Lake reaches 18 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12 ft; about 69% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Freeborn Lake?
Freeborn Lake covers 248 acres with about 3.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Freeborn Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Freeborn Lake average 3.3 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Freeborn Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2020) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Freeborn Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Freeborn Lake have a public access?
Yes. Freeborn Lake has one public access site: Freeborn Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Freeborn 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 1994.
When was Freeborn Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Freeborn Lake in 2020, the most recent of 9 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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