Minnesota · St. Louis County
Grand Lake Fishing guide
Grand Lake is a 1,665-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota, reaching 24 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 10.4 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2023Fair numbers2.8per gill net16"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 40 fish
2019Lengths measured · 9 fish
2015Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2010Lengths measured · 18 fish
2005Largemouth bassJust a few14.6per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 55 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 45 fish
2019Lengths measured · 10 fish
2015Lengths measured · 69 fish
2010Lengths measured · 20 fish
2005Northern pikeOne of the best around20per gill net19"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 356 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 67 fish
2019Lengths measured · 289 fish
2015Lengths measured · 65 fish
2010Lengths measured · 61 fish
2005BluegillJust a few4.5per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 163 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 141 fish
2019Lengths measured · 22 fish
2015Lengths measured · 106 fish
2010Lengths measured · 69 fish
2005CrappieJust a few3.6per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 124 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 78 fish
2019Lengths measured · 46 fish
2015Lengths measured · 77 fish
2010Lengths measured · 67 fish
2005Yellow perchExcellent numbers13.8per gill net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 251 fish
Recent · 2015 + 2019Lengths measured · 56 fish
2019Lengths measured · 195 fish
2015Lengths measured · 908 fish
2010Lengths measured · 72 fish
2005Rates 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 Grand Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 91% 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 91% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 30" | 23" | 17" |
| 2015 | 30" | 21" | 17" |
| 2010 | 38" | 26" | 19" |
| 2005 | 30" | 26" | 18" |
| 1995 | 33" | 23" | — |
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
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | 755,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 755,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 754,998 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
Grand was surveyed during the summer of 2019 to evaluate and update information about fish populations after a significant winterkill in 2013-14, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the post-winterkill Walleye stocking program. Largemouth Bass, Bluegill and Black Crappie are the primary management species for Grand Lake.
Largemouth Bass were sampled during a spring electrofishing survey at a rate of 24.8 per hour which was average compared to other Duluth Area lakes. Average length was 13.6 inches. Largemouth Bass abundance has been steadily increasing since the winterkill event and the lake is providing quality bass angling opportunities again.
Read the full DNR narrative
Black Crappie abundance of 4.2 per trapnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes. Average length was 8.4 inches with fish up to 12.4 inches sampled. Bluegill abundance was average at 7.9 per trapnet lift. Average length was relatively small at 5.5 inches. Yellow Perch abundance of 6.1 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes. Average size was 7.6 inches.
After the winterkill of 2013-14, Walleye fry were stocked in the spring of 2014, 2015 and 2016 to provide a short-term Walleye fishery. Survival rates of fry post winterkill can be exceptional, with abundant food resources and a lack of predation by other fish. Walleye abundance of 5.0 per gillnet lift in 2019 was average compared to other similar Minnesota Lakes. Walleye average length was large at 17.6 inches, with some fish exceeding 20 inches. All Walleye captured corresponded to the 2014 and 2016 stocked year-classes, however no specimens were aged to the 2015 stocked year-class. Anglers should expect good Walleye fishing for the next couple years before these cohorts begin to diminish. Walleye do not reproduce naturally at sustainable levels in Grand Lake and stocking return rates have been shown to be low when the fishery is balanced several years after winterkill events. For these reasons, stocking of Walleye in Grand Lake is only planned following significant winterkill events.
Northern Pike abundance of 6.1 per gillnet lift was down substantially from the last assessment (30.8). Average size was small at 18.9 inches. Anglers should expect good catches of small Northern Pike as two strong year-classes of young fish were present.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Grand Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Grand 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
- Grand Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Grand Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Grand Lake · 176 ac · 1.7 mi
- Little Grand Lake · 65 ac · 1.8 mi
- Mud Lake · 51 ac · 2.5 mi
- Caribou Lake · 539 ac · 4.4 mi
- Pike Lake · 488 ac · 4.8 mi
- Fish Lake Flowage · 3,259 ac · 7.5 mi
- Wild Rice Lake · 2,372 ac · 10.2 mi
- West Twin Lake · 121 ac · 10.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Grand Lake?
Grand Lake reaches 24 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10 ft; about 91% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Grand Lake?
Grand Lake covers 1,665 acres with about 8.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Grand Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Grand Lake average 10.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Grand Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Grand Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2023; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Grand Lake have a public access?
Yes. Grand Lake has one public access site: Grand Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Grand Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 30"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Grand Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Grand 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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