Minnesota · Becker County
Hungry Lake Fishing guide
Hungry Lake covers 244 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 60 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.4 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeGood numbers14.7per gill net24"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 93 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 93 fish
2025Lengths measured · 60 fish
2019Lengths measured · 92 fish
2013Lengths measured · 98 fish
2007BluegillFair numbers36per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 462 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 462 fish
2025Lengths measured · 402 fish
2019Lengths measured · 575 fish
2013Lengths measured · 648 fish
2007Yellow perchFair numbers1.7per gill net6"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 11 fish
2025Lengths measured · 42 fish
2019Lengths measured · 39 fish
2013Lengths measured · 21 fish
2007Rates 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 Hungry Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11.4 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 60 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 11.4 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 60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30" | 26" | 19" |
| 2019 | 30" | 20" | 18" |
| 2013 | 33" | 22" | 19" |
| 2007 | 31" | 28" | 18" |
| 2001 | 29" | 28" | 16" |
| 1995 | 27" | 26" | 14" |
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 · 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 180,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 180,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 180,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 180,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 180,000 fry · 4,860 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 180,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 700 fingerlings · 833 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Hungry Lake is a 240-acre, class 29 lake located in south central Becker County. It remains relatively undeveloped with approximately eight homes or cabins along its shoreline based on 2024 satellite imagery. A standard fisheries survey was completed in June 2025 to assess the fish populations in Hungry Lake.
Anglers will find a moderately abundant number of Northern Pike in Hungry Lake and these fish were good sized compared to other lakes in the Detroit Lakes work area. The catch rate of 14.7 Northern Pike per net in the 2025 survey was higher than the lake average. The average size of the pike captured was 24.5 inches and the longest was 30 inches. About 65% of the pike were longer than 24 inches. Walleye numbers continue to be very low at the lake with only two Walleyes sampled, however these fish averaged 25 inches. Bluegill numbers were high for the lake but most of the fish were small. Only a handful of fish over eight inches were caught and 72% of the fish were less than seven inches. The longest Bluegill measured was just below nine inches. Black Crappie and Largemouth Bass were captured in low numbers in the trap nets, which is often the case with this sampling gear. Black Crappie up to 10.5 inches were measured and Largemouth Bass up to 19 inches were captured. Other fish species sampled were Brown and Yellow Bullhead, Golden Shiner, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Hungry Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Hungry 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
- Hungry Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Hungry Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Toad Lake · 406 ac · 4.4 mi
- Perch Lake · 48 ac · 5.4 mi
- Murphy Lake · 317 ac · 5.8 mi
- Town Lake · 125 ac · 6.1 mi
- Silver Lake · 239 ac · 6.5 mi
- Hanson Lake · 35 ac · 6.6 mi
- Acorn Lake · 154 ac · 6.6 mi
- Cotton Lake · 1,763 ac · 7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Hungry Lake?
Hungry Lake reaches 60 ft at its deepest point; about 74% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Hungry Lake?
Hungry Lake covers 244 acres with about 4.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Hungry Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Hungry Lake average 11.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Hungry Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Hungry Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Hungry Lake have a public access?
Yes. Hungry Lake has one public access site: Hungry Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Hungry Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 30"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Hungry Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Hungry Lake in 2025, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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