Minnesota · Cass County
Hay Lake Fishing guide
Hay Lake covers 364 acres in Cass County, Minnesota, reaching 56 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 13.2 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassPresent2.7per gill net13"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 17 fish
2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2019Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 19 fish
2019Lengths measured · 53 fish
2014Northern pikeFair numbers9per gill net15"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 66 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 66 fish
2024Lengths measured · 14 fish
2019Lengths measured · 50 fish
2019Lengths measured · 38 fish
2014BluegillJust a few18.3per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 153 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 153 fish
2024Lengths measured · 63 fish
2019Lengths measured · 66 fish
2019Lengths measured · 191 fish
2014CrappieJust a few1.9per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 22 fish
2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2019Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2019Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 26 fish
2014No 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 Hay Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 13.2 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 56 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 13.2 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. On a lake that drops to 56 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 32" | 22" | 16" |
| 2019 | 27" | 21" | 15" |
| 2014 | 31" | 21" | 17" |
| 2006 | 30" | 28" | 14" |
| 2001 | 33" | 27" | 14" |
| 1996 | 28" | 23" | 18" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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 | 1,584 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,052 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,731 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 60 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 1,890 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,160 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,204 fingerlings · 17 adults |
| 2017 | Walleye | 4,170 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 205 fingerlings · 496 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Hay Lake (DOW #11-0199; Lake Class 23) is a 350-acre lake with 179 littoral acres (less than 15 feet deep), 5.22 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 56 feet. Hay Lake is located 17 miles south of Longville, MN and 13 miles northeast of Backus MN. A DNR owned public access is located on the west shore. Hay Lake has a small outlet stream that flows into Hand Lake. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Hay Lake is in Lake Class 23; lakes in this class are generally deep and very clear lakes. Other area lakes in this class include Jack (DOW# 11-0400, Lake class 23), Ponto (DOW# 11-0234, Lake class 23), Stony (DOW# 11-0371, Lake class 23), and Baby (DOW# 11-0283, Lake class 23). The lake is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie and Northern Pike with secondary management for Bluegill, Tullibee (Cisco) and Walleye.
Largemouth Bass are moderately abundant and ranged in length from 8 to 17 inches with and average length of 13 inches and average weight of one pound. Management goals are based on spring electric fishing which was not conducted in 2024. Black Crappie were caught in moderate numbers meeting the management goal. The average length of Black Crappie was 8 inches with fish from 6 to 12 inches sampled. Northern Pike are abundant exceeding the management goal of 5 to 8 fish per gillnet, sampled Northern Pike ranged in length from length from 13 to 32 inches with most measuring less than 22 inches in length. Anglers are encouraged to harvest the abundant Northern Pike under 22 inches in length. Bluegill abundance was higher than the last survey and is at moderate levels. Sampled Bluegill range in length from 3 to 10 inches with an average of 7 inches. Walleye were below the management goal of two fish per gillnet. Very few fish from recent stocked year classes were sampled, and Walleye may be limited by low availability of Yellow Perch. Only five Walleye were sampled between gill net and trap nets and they ranged in length from 18-23 inches with an average length of 20 inches. Past surveys have sampled Tullibee (Cisco) and Yellow Perch but none were caught in this survey.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species that anglers can expect to encounter include, Bowfin (Dogfish), Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Currently, no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Hay Lake. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Hay Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Hay 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
- Hay Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Hay Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Hand Lake · 289 ac · 1.9 mi
- Island Lake · 184 ac · 2.6 mi
- Ponto Lake · 388 ac · 2.7 mi
- Blackwater Lake · 772 ac · 3 mi
- Mule Lake · 525 ac · 3.4 mi
- Sand Lake · 149 ac · 3.6 mi
- Long Lake · 246 ac · 3.8 mi
- Sand Lake · 41 ac · 3.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Hay Lake?
Hay Lake reaches 56 ft at its deepest point; about 49% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Hay Lake?
Hay Lake covers 364 acres with about 5.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Hay Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Hay Lake average 13.2 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Hay Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Hay Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Hay Lake have a public access?
Yes. Hay Lake has one public access site: Hay Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Hay 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 1996.
When was Hay Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Hay Lake in 2024, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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