Minnesota · Cook County
Greenwood Lake Fishing guide
Greenwood Lake is a 2,043-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota, reaching 112 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 16.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2025, with smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and brook trout in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Smallmouth bassFair numbers8.9per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2022Lengths measured · 7 fish
2019Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2017Lengths measured · 24 fish
2015Yellow perchFair numbers2.8per gill net11"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 13 fish
2022Lengths measured · 9 fish
2019Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 7 fish
2015Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Last recorded in the 2019 survey and not seen since.
Lake troutPresentPresent in recent DNR surveys.
Present in recent DNR surveys.
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2022Lengths measured · 19 fish
2019Lengths measured · 18 fish
2017Lengths measured · 36 fish
2015Last recorded in the 1986 survey and not seen since.
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 Greenwood Lake through the year
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn. At 16.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 112 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 16.5 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 112 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.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike | Lake trout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13" | 14" | 28" |
| 2019 | 15" | 25" | 25" |
| 2017 | 15" | — | 18" |
| 2015 | 16" | 21" | 22" |
| 2009 | 12" | — | 26" |
| 2005 | 12" | — | 22" |
| 1999 | 15" | — | 34" |
| 1996 | 13" | — | 35" |
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:
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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
Lake trout · Trolling
Trout Trolling (spoons/cowbells)
2–3in trolling spoon behind a small cowbell/dodger string
Lake trout · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Greenwood Lake was conducted on August 11-14, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing and 1/8" mesh mini-fyke net sampling were completed at twenty-four sampling stations. Additionally, a 50-foot seine was not able to be used at any stations, but a 15-foot seine was used at sixteen stations. Eight stations were not seined due to rocky and/or steep shorelines. Nearshore sampling captured five species of fish, including two species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Longnose Dace and Smallmouth Bass) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data along with gill net and standard trap net data will be used to develop fish community models for Minnesota's Boreal Shield lakes, which will be used to measure lake health in this region. These models may function similarly to fish-based index of biological integrity (FIBI) models developed for lakes across much of the rest of the state. For additional information, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. You can help protect the fish community in Greenwood Lake by maintaining natural shorelines and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Greenwood Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Greenwood 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
- Greenwood Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Greenwood Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Sunfish Lake · 85 ac · 1 mi
- North Shady Lake · 33 ac · 1.1 mi
- Edith Lake · 35 ac · 1.9 mi
- Tomato Lake · 27 ac · 2.2 mi
- Olga Lake · 13 ac · 2.9 mi
- Carrot Lake · 31 ac · 3 mi
- Esther Lake · 78 ac · 3.1 mi
- Devilfish Lake · 405 ac · 3.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Greenwood Lake?
Greenwood Lake reaches 112 ft at its deepest point; about 26% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Greenwood Lake?
Greenwood Lake covers 2,043 acres with about 23.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Greenwood Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Greenwood Lake average 16.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Greenwood Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, brook trout, lake trout, splake.
Is Greenwood Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Greenwood Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Greenwood Lake have a public access?
Yes. Greenwood Lake has one public access site: Greenwood Lake (trailer launch).
How big do smallmouth bass get in Greenwood Lake?
The biggest smallmouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 13"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Greenwood Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Greenwood Lake in 2025, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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