Minnesota · Beltrami County
Grant Lake Fishing guide
Grant Lake sits in Beltrami County, Minnesota, and covers 214 acres, reaching 92 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassJust a few6.9per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 98 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 2 fish
2022Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 96 fish
2021Lengths measured · 5 fish
2012Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
1997Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers13.8per gill net20"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 96 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 3 fish
2022Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 93 fish
2021Lengths measured · 122 fish
2012Lengths measured · 87 fish
1997BluegillJust a few12.8per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 252 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 116 fish
2022Lengths measured · 136 fish
2021Lengths measured · 251 fish
2012Lengths measured · 195 fish
1997CrappieJust a few1.1per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 31 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 9 fish
2022Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 22 fish
2021Lengths measured · 14 fish
2012Lengths measured · 10 fish
1997Yellow perchFair numbers3.3per gill net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 3 fish
2022Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 24 fish
2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2012Lengths measured · 22 fish
1997Rates 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 Grant Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11 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. On a lake that drops to 92 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 11 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 92 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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 23" | 6" | 5" |
| 2021 | 32" | 20" | 11" |
| 2012 | 35" | 16" | 11" |
| 1997 | 30" | 12" | 10" |
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile 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 2025 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Grant Lake on August 4th, 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 91.8 feet), the water temperature decreased below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 16.6 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 16.1 feet at the time of sampling. Therefore, the water column did not contain a layer of water with sufficient temperature and dissolved oxygen 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 21.8 degrees C (71.2 degrees F). TDO3 values warmer than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were unsuitable for Cisco 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 indicate suitable oxythermal habitat when the habitat layer was 6.4 feet thick. 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
Grant Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Grant 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
- Grant Lake (trailer launch)
- Grant Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Grant Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Irving Lake · 662 ac · 6.1 mi
- Marquette Lake · 528 ac · 6.5 mi
- Bemidji (main lake) · 6,596 ac · 7 mi
- Newman Lake · 45 ac · 7.1 mi
- Moose Lake · 132 ac · 8.2 mi
- Plantagenet Lake · 2,531 ac · 8.4 mi
- Spearhead Lake · 194 ac · 8.8 mi
- Whitefish Lake · 128 ac · 9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Grant Lake?
Grant Lake reaches 92 ft at its deepest point; about 40% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Grant Lake?
Grant Lake covers 214 acres with about 3.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Grant Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Grant Lake average 11 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Grant Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Grant Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Grant Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Grant Lake have a public access?
Yes. Grant Lake has 2 public access sites, including Grant Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Grant Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 32"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Grant Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Grant Lake in 2025, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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