Minnesota · Stearns County
Goodners Lake Fishing guide
Goodners Lake covers 191 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota, reaching 24 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassFair numbers21.8per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 83 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 67 fish
2019Lengths measured · 16 fish
2015Lengths measured · 55 fish
2003Lengths measured · 27 fish
1994Northern pikeGood numbers13.4per gill net20"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 181 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 79 fish
2019Lengths measured · 102 fish
2015Lengths measured · 55 fish
2003Lengths measured · 119 fish
1994BluegillJust a few21.2per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 578 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 344 fish
2019Lengths measured · 234 fish
2015Lengths measured · 288 fish
2003Lengths measured · 451 fish
1994CrappieFair numbers11.3per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 350 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 59 fish
2019Lengths measured · 291 fish
2015Lengths measured · 309 fish
2003Lengths measured · 67 fish
1994Yellow perchFair numbers3.2per gill net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 38 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 8 fish
2019Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 30 fish
2015Lengths measured · 21 fish
2003Lengths measured · 24 fish
1994Rates 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 Goodners Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 2.8 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.
- 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. In 2.8 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.
- 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 | Crappie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 34" | 19" | 9" |
| 2015 | 31" | 18" | 9" |
| 2003 | 33" | 19" | 12" |
| 1994 | 31" | 17" | 9" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
Crappie · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
Crappie · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
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 2019 survey
Goodners Lake is a popular panfish lake located five (5) miles northwest of Kimball in southeastern Stearns County. The lake is 150 acres and has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The watershed is primarily agricultural and is reflected in the lower water clarity. Proper land use practices are encouraged within the watershed and by lakeshore owners to improve the water quality and fish habitat in Goodners Lake. Protecting the fish habitat is important to help sustain the quality and balance of the fish community. A public access is located on the southeast side of the lake. A standard survey was completed in 2019 to update fisheries data last survey collected in 2015.
Largemouth Bass were sampled via daytime electrofishing on May 28, 2019. The catch rate in 2019 was the highest on record for the lake, but below the average for the Sauk Rapids Management Area. Fifty-nine fish were sampled and ranged in length from 11 to 19 inches with an average length of 15 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
The 2019 Northern Pike catch rate was similar to 2015 and near the long-term average for the lake. The catch rate was above the range of expected values for lakes with similar characteristics and was dominated by smaller fish. Pike sampled ranged in length from 13 to 35 inches with an average length and weight of 21 inches and two (2) pounds. Only eight (8) percent of the pike sampled were greater than 26 inches. Anglers are encouraged to harvest the surplus of pike under 22 inches and release the larger pike. This would help maintain a healthy predator/prey balance within the fish community.
Black Crappie have provided a popular spring and winter fishery. Goodners Lake experienced a Columnaris outbreak in crappies in 2018. The population is stable, but will need a few years to rebound back to previous levels anglers have grown accustomed to. The catch rate in 2019 was lower than 2015, but within the expected values for lakes with similar characteristics. Crappies ranged in length from five (5) to 10 inches and averaged seven (7) inches although few crappies over eight (8) inches were sampled.
The Bluegill catch rate in 2019 was lower than 2015, but within the range of expected values for lakes with similar characteristics. Anglers looking for Bluegill have a chance to find some "keepers" as Bluegills ranged in length from three (3) to nine (9) inches and averaged six (6) inches.
Walleye were last stocked in Goodners Lake in 1987 and have not been present in the survey since 1994. A walleye population was difficult to establish due to an abundance of predator species (Northern Pike) and lack of prey species (Yellow Perch).
All three species of Bullhead, Yellow, Brown, and Black, can be found in Goodners Lake. Yellow Bullhead are the most abundant of the three species. Quality-size fish over eleven inches were sampled of each species and some individuals measured up to 15 inches. Other fish sampled included: Bowfin (Dogfish), Golden Shiner, Hybrid Sunfish, and Pumpkinseed.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Goodners Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Goodners 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
- Goodner Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Goodners Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Pearl Lake · 753 ac · 3.5 mi
- Grand Lake · 651 ac · 3.7 mi
- Knaus Lake · 216 ac · 4.9 mi
- Carnelian Lake · 180 ac · 5.2 mi
- Krays Lake · 95 ac · 5.2 mi
- Bolfing Lake · 109 ac · 5.3 mi
- Great Northern Lake · 196 ac · 5.7 mi
- Schneider Lake · 60 ac · 6.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Goodners Lake?
Goodners Lake reaches 24 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 7.4 ft; about 51% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Goodners Lake?
Goodners Lake covers 191 acres with about 3.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Goodners Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Goodners Lake average 2.8 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Goodners Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Goodners Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Goodners Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Goodners Lake have a public access?
Yes. Goodners Lake has one public access site: Goodner Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Goodners Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Goodners Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Goodners Lake in 2019, the most recent of 7 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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