Minnesota · Ramsey County
Gervais Lake Fishing guide
Gervais Lake sits in Ramsey County, Minnesota, and covers 235 acres, reaching 41 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Last recorded in the 1985 survey and not seen since.
BluegillJust a few21.4per trap net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 192 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 192 fish
2021Lengths measured · 433 fish
2020Lengths measured · 685 fish
2017Lengths measured · 1095 fish
2011CrappieJust a few1.2per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 11 fish
2021Lengths measured · 60 fish
2020Lengths measured · 74 fish
2017Lengths measured · 42 fish
2011Present and managed by the DNR.
No recent survey rating.
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 Gervais Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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 41 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.
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. On a lake that drops to 41 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21" | 17" | 17" |
| 2020 | 24" | 16" | 34" |
| 2017 | 24" | 12" | 34" |
| 2011 | 19" | 13" | 31" |
| 2005 | 27" | 18" | 35" |
| 2000 | 21" | 16" | 34" |
| 1995 | 22" | 16" | 36" |
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
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 · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
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 | Tiger Muskellunge | 234 fingerlings |
| 2025 | Walleye | 75 yearlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 833 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Tiger Muskellunge | 117 fingerlings · 117 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 2,807 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 399 fingerlings · 46 yearlings |
| 2021 | Tiger Muskellunge | 24,100 fry · 234 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 40 yearlings · 51 adults |
| 2019 | Tiger Muskellunge | 5,415 fry · 234 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,980 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 2,303 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Tiger Muskellunge | 56,750 fry · 254 yearlings |
Stocking records before 2017 omitted.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore and littoral fish species in Gervais Lake was conducted beginning on September 7th, 2021 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 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample nine stations, and site conditions (soft sediment and deep water) prevented the use of seines at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 15 species of fish including no species that are intolerant of disturbance and three that is species that are tolerant of disturbance (Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted the week of September 7th, 2021 by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Bluegill and Common Carp accounted for the majority of the biomass. Bluegill count per net was between the 25th and 50th quartile, while the Bluegill mean weight was just below the 25th quartile for similar Lake Class 24 lakes.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2020 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. Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g. Green Sunfish, Black Bullhead, and Common Carp). 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.
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Mississippi River-Twin Cities Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Gervais Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Gervais 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
- Gervais Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Gervais Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Gervais Mill Pond · 6 ac · 0.5 mi
- Spoon Lake · 7 ac · 0.5 mi
- Keller (main bay) Lake · 73 ac · 1 mi
- Phalen Lake · 198 ac · 2.4 mi
- Wakefield Lake · 23 ac · 2.4 mi
- East Vadnais Lake · 393 ac · 2.5 mi
- McCarron Lake · 73 ac · 2.5 mi
- Casey Lake · 12 ac · 2.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Gervais Lake?
Gervais Lake reaches 41 ft at its deepest point; about 39% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Gervais Lake?
Gervais Lake covers 235 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Gervais Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Gervais Lake average 6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Gervais Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge, channel catfish.
Is Gervais Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked tiger muskellunge and walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Gervais Lake have a public access?
Yes. Gervais Lake has one public access site: Gervais Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier).
How big do walleye get in Gervais Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 21"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Gervais Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Gervais Lake in 2021, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Gervais Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Gervais Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report