Minnesota · Le Sueur County
Greenleaf Lake Fishing guide
Greenleaf Lake is a 302-acre lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota, reaching 19 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.7per gill net10"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 264 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 5 fish
2024Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 259 fish
2021Lengths measured · 32 fish
2016Lengths measured · 44 fish
2011Largemouth bassLast stocked 2021Fair numbers43.7per hr (electrofishing)7"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 44 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 43 fish
2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2021Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 39 fish
2016Lengths measured · 16 fish
2006No recent survey rating.
BluegillFair numbers34.2per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 634 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 499 fish
2024Lengths measured · 135 fish
2021Lengths measured · 69 fish
2016Lengths measured · 1136 fish
2011CrappieJust a few2.6per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 85 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 84 fish
2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2021Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2016Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 639 fish
2011Yellow perchLast stocked 2019Elite fishery74.7per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 920 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 463 fish
2024Lengths measured · 457 fish
2021Lengths measured · 110 fish
2016Lengths measured · 22 fish
2011Rates 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 Greenleaf Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 87% 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. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 2 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. With 87% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16" | 15" | — |
| 2021 | 14" | 17" | — |
| 2016 | 23" | 20" | — |
| 2011 | 15" | — | — |
| 2006 | 23" | 21" | 36" |
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
Bottom Bouncer + Spinner Harness
full nightcrawler on a 2–3 hook
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
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
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
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 | 131,500 fry |
| 2024 | Northern Pike | 466 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 131,500 fry |
| 2021 | Largemouth Bass | 42 adults |
| 2021 | Walleye | 263,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 263,000 fry |
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 2,775 adults |
| 2017 | Walleye | 263,085 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Greenleaf Lake is a 302-acre lake located approximately 3.5 miles southwest of the town of Montgomery in Le Sueur County. The DNR-owned public access is located on the northeast shore off County Road 140. Greenleaf Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet, with approximately 87% of the lake less than 15 feet deep. Greenleaf Lake is primarily managed for Bluegill and Walleye and secondarily for Black Crappie and Largemouth Bass. The management plan calls for stocking Walleye fry at a rate of 1,000 fish/littoral acre in odd years. Recent stocking events include fry in 2019, 2021, and 2023. Periodic winterkills were common before the installation of an aerator in 1983. Since that time, winterkills had not been a factor until 2019 when a near complete winterkill took place. High levels of phosphorus have contributed to poor water quality and extensive algae blooms that result in poor water quality. The lack of aquatic vegetation remains a challenge for managing stable game fish populations.
Greenleaf Lake was surveyed the week of 8 July 2024 as part of a regular monitoring program conducted by the Minnesota DNR. This survey was intended to assess the fish community by deploying 6 gill nets, 9 trap nets, and 44 minutes of boat electrofishing as well as recording water quality parameters.
Read the full DNR narrative
A total of 480 Bluegills were sampled with trap nets for a catch rate of 53.3/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 3.3/net to 142.0/net with an average of 34.2/net. Bluegills ranged from 3.3 to 8.3 inches with an average of 7.1 inches. Bluegills were aged using scales and otoliths and ranged from 1 to 5 years old with 5 year-classes present. Three and four year old Bluegills accounted for approximately 80% of the sample.
A total of 5 Walleyes were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 0.8/net. Walleyes ranged from 12.0 to 16.5 inches. Walleye were abundant in trap nets during the 2021 survey and it is not clear what caused numbers to drastically decline between surveys.
Yellow Perch were the most common non-bullhead species sampled with gill nets in 2024. A total of 440 Yellow Perch ranging from 5.6 to 9.1 inches were sampled for a catch rate of 73.3/net. Broodstock Yellow Perch were stocked in 2019, and natural reproduction has been successful.
Black Bullheads dominated the gill net catches in 2024. A total of 705 were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 117.5 per net which was a decrease from 202.4/net in 2021. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 8.0/net in 1994 to 274.0/net in 1985 with an average of 111.2/net. Bullheads ranged from 4.7 to 15.9 inches with an average of 7.7 inches. Black Bullheads thrive in unstable and hypereutrophic systems like Greenleaf Lake. Even with the aerator, the fish community will likely remain dominated by tolerant species such as Black Bullheads and Common Carp.
A total of 28 Common Carp ranging from 7.5 to 26.5 inches were sampled with gill nets for a catch rate of 4.7/net. Since 1984, catch rates have varied from 0.0/net in 1985 to 48.3/net in 2006 with an average of 11.5/net. Like Black Bullheads, Common Carp are adept at surviving in lakes like Greenleaf Lake. Unfortunately, efforts to reduce populations of Common Carp and Black Bullhead have largely been unsuccessful in lakes like Greenleaf Lake. It is also possible that aeration allows them to remain at high numbers when they would otherwise suffer losses during winterkills.
Thirty-two Largemouth Bass were sampled with boat electrofishing for a catch rate of 43.7/hour. The 2023 catch rate was slightly lower than the 2021 catch rate of 52.6/hour. Largemouth Bass ranged from 4.3 inches to 15.2 inches and averaged 7.5 inches.
Other species sampled in 2023 include Golden Shiner and White Sucker.
Shoreline property owners also play an important role in the overall health of an aquatic ecosystem, including the fish population. Natural shorelines, including vegetation, woody debris, and bottom substrates, provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, help maintain water quality, and reduce bank erosion. By leaving natural shorelines unaltered or restoring them to natural conditions, shoreline property owners are doing their part to maintain or improve a healthy ecosystem in the lake and protect the resource for future generations.
-Tyler Fellows, fisheries specialist
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Greenleaf Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Greenleaf 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 Leaf Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Greenleaf Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Volney Lake · 269 ac · 2.2 mi
- Dora Lake · 733 ac · 3.6 mi
- Gorman Lake · 521 ac · 4.1 mi
- Clear Lake · 279 ac · 4.4 mi
- Sabre Lake · 258 ac · 6.4 mi
- Phelps Lake · 303 ac · 7.2 mi
- Cody Lake · 259 ac · 7.8 mi
- Sunfish Lake · 121 ac · 8.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Greenleaf Lake?
Greenleaf Lake reaches 19 ft at its deepest point; about 87% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Greenleaf Lake?
Greenleaf Lake covers 302 acres with about 3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Greenleaf Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Greenleaf Lake average 2 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Greenleaf Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Greenleaf Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Greenleaf Lake have a public access?
Yes. Greenleaf Lake has one public access site: Green Leaf Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Greenleaf Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 16"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2006.
When was Greenleaf Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Greenleaf Lake in 2024, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Greenleaf Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Greenleaf Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report