Minnesota · Roseau County
Hayes Lake Fishing guide
Hayes Lake sits in Roseau County, Minnesota, and covers 182 acres, reaching 28 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.4 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassJust a few8.6per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 17 fish
2024Lengths measured · 36 fish
2019Lengths measured · 30 fish
2014Lengths measured · 49 fish
2009No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few2.9per gill net21"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 32 fish
2024Lengths measured · 45 fish
2019Lengths measured · 41 fish
2014Lengths measured · 29 fish
2009BluegillJust a few5.1per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 95 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 95 fish
2024Lengths measured · 282 fish
2019Lengths measured · 104 fish
2014Lengths measured · 112 fish
2009CrappieJust a few3.2per trap net5"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 110 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 110 fish
2024Lengths measured · 94 fish
2019Lengths measured · 56 fish
2014Lengths measured · 11 fish
2009Rates 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 Hayes Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 70% 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.
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 70% 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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 19" | 32" | 10" |
| 2019 | 19" | 25" | 10" |
| 2014 | 21" | 37" | 10" |
| 2009 | 19" | 38" | 8" |
| 1999 | 16" | 39" | 8" |
| 1996 | 12" | 27" | 7" |
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:
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro 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 2024 survey
Hayes Lake is a 180-acre impoundment on the south branch of the Roseau River, located entirely within Hayes Lake State Park, 18 miles southeast of Roseau, MN. The lakeshore is undeveloped and provides ample fishing opportunities to anglers off its many small bays and points. The state park provides several amenities including a swimming beach, fish cleaning building, campsites, two fishing piers, a concrete boat ramp, and canoe and small boat rentals. Carry-in canoe access is located near the campground and rentals can be arranged through the park office. No gas-powered motors are allowed on Hayes Lake and boaters must utilize a paddle or electric motor to navigate the lake. A Minnesota state park pass is needed to access Hayes Lake, but a fishing license is no longer required to fish the lake. All other statewide fishing regulations for inland waters apply.
Hayes Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet and stratifies during the warm summer months. The lake is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass, with Bluegill managed as a secondary species. Winterkill events have been reduced through the installation of a hypolimnetic draw-down tube in the dam structure in the 1980s and has allowed the fish communities to sustain themselves through natural reproduction. In addition to the lake itself, a quality fishery exists in the Roseau River below the Hayes Lake dam. Largemouth Bass night electrofishing catch rates have varied from 8 fish/hour to 19 fish/hour since 1996. In 2024, catch rates were 8.5 fish/hour with fish ranging from 6 to 19.7 inches with an average of 13.5 inches. Sixty-six percent of the population of Largemouth Bass sampled in 2024 that were longer than 8 inches were also longer than 12 inches. The Largemouth Bass population in Hayes Lake is healthy and consists of fewer but larger fish. To protect the larger size structure in the lake, catch and release practices are encouraged for Largemouth Bass in Hayes Lake.
Read the full DNR narrative
Bluegill in Hayes Lake are lower in abundance but consists of larger individuals. Spring trap nets in 2024 averaged 5 fish per net, had a size range of 1.5 to 10.4 inches, and the average length of caught Bluegills was 6.6 inches. To protect the quality size of Bluegills in Hayes Lake, selective harvest is encouraged.
Northern Pike are another popular game fish in Hayes Lake. Northern Pike are abundant in Hayes Lake with sampled fish ranging from 11 to 33 inches in 2024 with an average length of 23.2 inches. Hayes Lake has a healthy Northern Pike population and should continue to provide anglers with a great fishing opportunity.
Other fish anglers may target in Hayes Lake include Black Crappie, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch. Black Crappie abundance has increased in recent years. Trap net catch rates have increased in each survey since 2004. Black Crappies ranged from 2.7 inches to 11.8 inches in 2024 with an average length of 6.2 inches. Pumpkinseed abundance in Hayes Lake is low, but the average size in 2024 was 5.6 inches. Yellow Perch abundance has fluctuated between surveys from low to moderate abundance for the size of Hayes Lake. In 2024, the average length of Yellow Perch was 6.3 inches. While abundance of Black Crappie, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch are low in Hayes Lake, quality-sized fish are present in the lake and should continue to provide anglers with additional fishing opportunities.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Hayes Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Hayes 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
- Hayes Lake, Hayes Lake SPK (trailer launch)
- Hayes Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Hayes Lake depth map
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Hayes Lake?
Hayes Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10 ft; about 70% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Hayes Lake?
Hayes Lake covers 182 acres with about 6.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Hayes Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Hayes Lake average 5.4 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Hayes Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Hayes Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Hayes Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Hayes Lake have a public access?
Yes. Hayes Lake has 2 public access sites, including Hayes Lake, Hayes Lake SPK (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Hayes Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Hayes Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Hayes Lake in 2024, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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