Minnesota · Chisago County
Green Lake Fishing guide
Green Lake sits in Chisago County, Minnesota, and covers 1,810 acres, reaching 32 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.8per gill net20"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 35 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 35 fish
2023Lengths measured · 53 fish
2019Lengths measured · 57 fish
2015Lengths measured · 79 fish
2011Largemouth bassPresent1.2per gill net7"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 18 fish
2023Lengths measured · 93 fish
2019Lengths measured · 120 fish
2015Lengths measured · 198 fish
2011No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers6.8per gill net24"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 82 fish
2023Lengths measured · 69 fish
2019Lengths measured · 55 fish
2015Lengths measured · 96 fish
2011BluegillOne of the best around86.3per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1426 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 1426 fish
2023Lengths measured · 770 fish
2019Lengths measured · 1427 fish
2015Lengths measured · 1367 fish
2011CrappieJust a few3.6per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 107 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 107 fish
2023Lengths measured · 73 fish
2019Lengths measured · 155 fish
2015Lengths measured · 229 fish
2011Yellow perchFair numbers1.2per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 14 fish
2023Lengths measured · 17 fish
2019Lengths measured · 9 fish
2015Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2011Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Green 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. With 68% 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.
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. With 68% 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.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27" | 37" | 19" |
| 2019 | 27" | 34" | 19" |
| 2015 | 26" | 33" | 19" |
| 2011 | 26" | 35" | 19" |
| 2006 | 29" | 36" | 19" |
| 2001 | 29" | 34" | 18" |
| 1996 | 31" | 29" | 16" |
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
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 · 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 44,020 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 33,592 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 39,900 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 25,830 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 21,194 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Green Lake is the largest lake (1,714 acres) in the Chisago City area. It has three distinct basins: the north end, which is commonly called Little Green, the large windswept main basin, and the southern end, which consists of shallow bays with abundant vegetation. Green and blue-green algae are common in the summer, with average water clarity around 4 feet. The lakeshore is heavily developed, with over 300 homes. Two invasive plant species Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed are present.
Walleye management includes fingerling stocking at a rate of 1.3 pounds per littoral acre (acres of water less than 15 feet deep; 1,596 pounds) in even years (2018, 2020, 2022, etc.) and a 17-inch minimum harvest regulation. Walleye catch rates remain within the normal range for similar lakes. Yellow Perch, a key Walleye prey species, have had low catch rates since the early 1990s. Despite a 17-inch minimum length regulation, most of the Walleye sampled during the assessment once again exceeded 17 inches in length. Green Lake continues to support a quality Northern Pike population, with an average length approaching 25 inches with fish in the upper 30-inch range present. Black Crappie and Bluegill are the species most frequently caught by anglers on Green Lake. Numbers of each are average and high respectively, compared to similar lakes. Although some larger individuals are present, anglers will most often encounter 7-8 inch Black Crappies and 6-7 inch Bluegill.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Green Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Green 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
- Green Lake (trailer launch)
- Little Green Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Green Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Comfort Lake · 218 ac · 2.2 mi
- Chisago Lake · 944 ac · 2.5 mi
- Moody Lake · 45 ac · 2.9 mi
- Kroon Lake · 193 ac · 3.3 mi
- Spider Lake · 131 ac · 3.8 mi
- Bone Lake · 221 ac · 3.9 mi
- South Lindstrom Lake · 455 ac · 4.2 mi
- Forest Lake · 2,271 ac · 4.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Green Lake?
Green Lake reaches 32 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 9 ft; about 68% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Green Lake?
Green Lake covers 1,810 acres with about 16.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Green Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Green Lake average 5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Green Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Green Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Green Lake have a public access?
Yes. Green Lake has 2 public access sites, including Green Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Green Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Green Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Green Lake in 2023, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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