Minnesota · Becker County
Height of Land Lake Fishing guide
Height of Land Lake sits in Becker County, Minnesota, and covers 3,795 acres, reaching 21 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.8per gill net16"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 35 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 35 fish
2021Lengths measured · 48 fish
2015Lengths measured · 39 fish
2010Lengths measured · 68 fish
2005Largemouth bassPresent0.8per gill net14"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 11 fish
2021Lengths measured · 11 fish
2015Lengths measured · 2 fish
2010Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 12 fish
2005Northern pikeGood numbers12.7per gill net16"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 169 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2023Lengths measured · 7 fish
2023Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 162 fish
2021Lengths measured · 150 fish
2015Lengths measured · 181 fish
2010BluegillJust a few13.2per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 460 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2023Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 458 fish
2021Lengths measured · 434 fish
2015Lengths measured · 397 fish
2010CrappieJust a few0.2per trap net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 31 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2023Lengths measured · 6 fish
2023Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 25 fish
2021Lengths measured · 11 fish
2015Lengths measured · 7 fish
2010Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchGood numbers7.2per gill net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 86 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 86 fish
2021Lengths measured · 103 fish
2015Lengths measured · 247 fish
2010Lengths measured · 211 fish
2005Last recorded in the 2015 survey and not seen since.
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 Height of Land Lake through the year
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 84% 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.
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 84% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 19" | — | — |
| 2021 | 34" | 26" | 18" |
| 2015 | 27" | 27" | 17" |
| 2010 | 31" | 28" | 14" |
| 2005 | 27" | 29" | 12" |
| 2000 | 26" | 24" | 13" |
| 1995 | 29" | 20" | 15" |
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 · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 3,200,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 2,234,635 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 3,200,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 3,200,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 3,200,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 3,190,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 3,200,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Height of Land Lake is a 3,795-acre lake located in central Becker County 15 miles east of Detroit Lakes. It is sometimes subject to low dissolved oxygen levels during the winter. The most severe winterkill occurred in 1996, eliminating most of the Walleye and panfish populations. Anglers reported dead fish following the 2022-2023 winter. A targeted fisheries survey was completed in May 2023 to assess the severity of the winterkill.
Dead fish of all species were observed while surveying. Five trap nets were used to sample Height of Land Lake. Bullheads were the most abundant species captured, but Black Crappie, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, hybrid sunfish, Northern Pike, and White Sucker were also captured. Northern Pike had an average length of 17 inches. Walleye were reintroduced during 2023. Angling opportunities for Northern Pike are still available and maybe an occasional crappie, but it will likely take a several years to have quality fishing for other species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Height of Land Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Height of Land 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.
Open the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report
All Height of Land Lake fishing reports → · Becker County reports
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Height of Land Lake (E) (trailer launch)
- Height of Land Lake (N) (trailer launch)
- Height of Land Lake (S) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Height of Land Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Hanson Lake · 35 ac · 2.8 mi
- Sieverson Lake · 82 ac · 3.7 mi
- North Tamarack Lake · 1,442 ac · 4 mi
- Island Lake · 1,180 ac · 4.4 mi
- Little Toad Lake · 406 ac · 4.5 mi
- Cotton Lake · 1,763 ac · 4.7 mi
- Toad Lake · 1,715 ac · 5.7 mi
- Perch Lake · 48 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Height of Land Lake?
Height of Land Lake reaches 21 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 7.6 ft; about 84% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Height of Land Lake?
Height of Land Lake covers 3,795 acres with about 13 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Height of Land Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Height of Land Lake average 5.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Height of Land Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, lake sturgeon, rock bass.
Is Height of Land Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Height of Land Lake have a public access?
Yes. Height of Land Lake has 3 public access sites, including Height of Land Lake (E) (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Height of Land Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Height of Land Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Height of Land Lake in 2023, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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