Minnesota · Beltrami County
Gilstad Lake Fishing guide
Gilstad Lake covers 257 acres in Beltrami County, Minnesota, reaching 55 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeOne of the best around16per gill net19"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 107 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 105 fish
2022Lengths measured · 73 fish
2016Lengths measured · 48 fish
2010BluegillJust a few7per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 172 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 72 fish
2023Lengths measured · 100 fish
2022Lengths measured · 130 fish
2016Lengths measured · 225 fish
2010CrappieJust a few1.5per trap net5"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 53 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 5 fish
2023Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 48 fish
2022Lengths measured · 39 fish
2016Lengths measured · 57 fish
2010Yellow perchExcellent numbers26.8per gill net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 230 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 45 fish
2023Lengths measured · 185 fish
2022Lengths measured · 274 fish
2016Lengths measured · 140 fish
2010Rates 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 Gilstad 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. On a lake that drops to 55 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 55 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.
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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 23" | — | — |
| 2022 | 29" | 22" | 17" |
| 2016 | 32" | 22" | 20" |
| 2010 | 39" | 22" | 12" |
| 2004 | 35" | 26" | 14" |
| 1998 | 38" | 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:
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
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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 | 85,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 2,876 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,904 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 4,560 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,541 fingerlings · 216 yearlings · 95 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Gilstad Lake on August 5th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. During the summer, Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on the profile from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth 55.8 feet), the water temperature decreased below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 12.7 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 13.9 feet at the time of sampling. The thickness of this layer of water in the water column was 1.2 feet, indicating that oxythermal habitat was present but marginal for Cisco.
Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 19.8 degrees C (67.6 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were marginal for Cisco at the time of the survey as the layer was confined to less than 3 feet of suitable habitat at the time of the survey.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2023 indicates suitable oxythermal habitat, with 3.7 feet of suitable oxythermal habitat. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Gilstad Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Gilstad 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
- Gilstad Lake (trailer launch)
- Gilstead Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Gilstad Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Benjamin Lake · 33 ac · 2.1 mi
- Rabideau Lake · 680 ac · 2.3 mi
- Webster Lake · 47 ac · 4.5 mi
- Blackduck Lake · 2,711 ac · 5.8 mi
- North Twin Lake · 326 ac · 6.1 mi
- Decker Lake · 325 ac · 6.3 mi
- South Twin Lake · 222 ac · 6.3 mi
- Pimushe Lake · 1,230 ac · 7.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Gilstad Lake?
Gilstad Lake reaches 55 ft at its deepest point; about 44% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Gilstad Lake?
Gilstad Lake covers 257 acres with about 3.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Gilstad Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Gilstad Lake average 9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Gilstad Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Gilstad Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Gilstad Lake have a public access?
Yes. Gilstad Lake has 2 public access sites, including Gilstad Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Gilstad Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was Gilstad Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Gilstad Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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