Minnesota · Anoka County
George Lake Fishing guide
George Lake is a 489-acre lake in Anoka County, Minnesota, reaching 32 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 8.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeOne of the best around18.6per gill net19"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 112 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 16 fish
2024Lengths measured · 96 fish
2023Lengths measured · 95 fish
2014Lengths measured · 132 fish
2008BluegillJust a few10.8per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 226 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 143 fish
2024Lengths measured · 83 fish
2023Lengths measured · 633 fish
2014Lengths measured · 1106 fish
2008CrappieJust a few1.1per trap net9"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2024Lengths measured · 17 fish
2023Lengths measured · 68 fish
2014Lengths measured · 23 fish
2008Rates 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 George Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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 80% 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 80% 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 20" | 14" | 8" |
| 2023 | 28" | 15" | 7" |
| 2014 | 32" | 17" | 7" |
| 2008 | 28" | 14" | 7" |
| 2003 | 28" | 16" | 7" |
| 1998 | 28" | 15" | 7" |
| 1993 | 29" | 18" | 7" |
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 · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · 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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in George Lake was conducted on July 16 - 17, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program 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 ten sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample all ten stations. Nearshore sampling captured 20 species of fish including 5 species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Pugnose Shiner) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured nine species of fish, including 2 species that are tolerant of disturbance (Common Carp and Green Sunfish). Bluegill (49%) and Pumpkinseed (13%) comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Bluegill (21%), Yellow Bullhead (15%), and Northern Pike (15%) comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net were combined with gill net data from a June 2023 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, Blacknose Shiner, and Iowa Darter), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Common Carp and Green Sunfish). 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 website.
Fisheries IBI program staff conducted a survey of lakeshore habitat on George Lake on July 26th, 2024, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The survey consisted of 27 sites evenly spaced 200 meters around the lake. The average lakewide habitat score indicates the lakewide shoreline condition is poor (53.1/100). The average developed site had very poor habitat quality, while undeveloped sites generally had moderate habitat quality. These results are very similar to a survey completed in 2013.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in George Lake may be adversely impacted by stressors, as indicated by an FIBI score near the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings, which indicated that George Lake is fully supporting aquatic life, but vulnerable to impairment if stressors are not mitigated. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Rum River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in George Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
George Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on George 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
- Lake George (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
George Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Norris Lake · 54 ac · 3.1 mi
- Long Lake · 387 ac · 8.2 mi
- East Twin Lake · 92 ac · 8.2 mi
- Fish Lake · 334 ac · 8.7 mi
- Ham Lake · 155 ac · 8.8 mi
- Coon Lake · 1,481 ac · 9 mi
- East Hunter Lake · 57 ac · 10.1 mi
- Crooked Lake · 115 ac · 10.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is George Lake?
George Lake reaches 32 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 5 ft; about 80% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is George Lake?
George Lake covers 489 acres with about 3.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in George Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on George Lake average 8.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in George Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is George Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for George Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does George Lake have a public access?
Yes. George Lake has one public access site: Lake George (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in George Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was George Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed George Lake in 2024, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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