Minnesota · Aitkin County
Hill Lake Fishing guide
Hill Lake sits in Aitkin County, Minnesota, and covers 794 acres, reaching 48 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 10.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 16 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.8per gill net18"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 249 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 35 fish
2025Lengths measured · 149 fish
2025Lengths measured · 65 fish
2023Lengths measured · 41 fish
2020Largemouth bassJust a few19per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 103 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 59 fish
2025Lengths measured · 44 fish
2023Lengths measured · 7 fish
2020Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2018Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers8.3per gill net22"Typical41"Biggest
Lengths measured · 410 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 113 fish
2025Lengths measured · 213 fish
2025Lengths measured · 84 fish
2023Lengths measured · 52 fish
2020BluegillJust a few6.8per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 160 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 144 fish
2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2023Lengths measured · 242 fish
2020Lengths measured · 55 fish
2018CrappieJust a few1per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 204 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 81 fish
2025Lengths measured · 110 fish
2025Lengths measured · 13 fish
2023Lengths measured · 138 fish
2020Yellow perchGood numbers7.3per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 199 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 196 fish
2025Lengths measured · 3 fish
2023Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 57 fish
2020Lengths measured · 442 fish
2018Last recorded in the 2010 survey and not seen since.
Rock bassFair numbers0.4per seine haul6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 17 fish
2025Lengths measured · 4 fish
2023Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 16 fish
2020Lengths measured · 3 fish
2018Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Hill Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.6 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 48 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10.6 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 48 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 | Walleye | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29" | 41" | 19" |
| 2023 | 28" | 37" | 21" |
| 2020 | 25" | 32" | 17" |
| 2019 | 8" | — | — |
| 2018 | 27" | 31" | 15" |
| 2015 | 26" | 38" | 19" |
| 2011 | 27" | 38" | 18" |
| 2010 | 28" | 39" | 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:
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
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 10,585 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 350,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 5,895 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 350,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 5,348 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 300,000 fry · 8,430 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 7,875 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 350,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Hill Lake was conducted on July 1, 2025, by Aitkin area fisheries staff. Sampling sites (N=14) were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sampling stations, 2 of which were sampled via boat due to deep water, soft sediment, or dense emergent vegetation. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 5 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at 6 stations. Three stations were not seined due to deep water, soft sediment, or dense emergent vegetation. Nearshore sampling captured 16 species of fish including 5 species that are intolerant of disturbance (e.g., Least Darter, Rock Bass, Blackchin Shiner) and 1 that is tolerant of disturbance (e.g., Black Bullhead).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a 7/14/2025 standard survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based score of biotic integrity (FIBI). The FIBI score uses fish community data to quantify a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish, Common Carp). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov web site.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Hill Lake appears healthy as indicated by a FIBI score that exceeds the exceptional use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which indicated that Hill Lake is fully supporting aquatic life. These survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River-Brainerd watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Hill Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Hill Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Hill 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
- Hill Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Hill Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Dinner Pail Lake · 47 ac · 2.9 mi
- Taylor Lake · 55 ac · 3.8 mi
- Split Hand Lake · 1,374 ac · 6.5 mi
- Smith Lake · 43 ac · 7.3 mi
- Holy Water Lake · 94 ac · 7.6 mi
- Little Split Hand Lake · 244 ac · 8.2 mi
- South Sugar Lake · 83 ac · 10.9 mi
- Siseebakwet Lake · 1,210 ac · 11.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Hill Lake?
Hill Lake reaches 48 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 21.8 ft; about 45% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Hill Lake?
Hill Lake covers 794 acres with about 10.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Hill Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Hill Lake average 10.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Hill Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, brook trout, rock bass.
Is Hill Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Hill Lake have a public access?
Yes. Hill Lake has one public access site: Hill Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier).
How big do walleye get in Hill Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2010.
When was Hill Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Hill Lake in 2025, the most recent of 16 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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