Minnesota · Nobles County
Indian Lake Fishing guide
Indian Lake sits in Nobles County, Minnesota, and covers 197 acres, reaching 6 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, northern pike, bluegill and crappie in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.3per gill net5"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 141 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 112 fish
2023Lengths measured · 29 fish
2022Lengths measured · 30 fish
2018Lengths measured · 16 fish
2014No recent survey rating.
CrappieLast stocked 2023Just a few2.7per trap net11"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 29 fish
2022Lengths measured · 185 fish
2018Lengths measured · 157 fish
2014Lengths measured · 222 fish
2010Rates 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 Indian Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 100% 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. A 6-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 2.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 100% 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. A 6-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6" | — | — |
| 2022 | 23" | 33" | 9" |
| 2018 | 22" | 25" | 9" |
| 2014 | 21" | — | 10" |
| 2010 | 21" | 24" | 12" |
| 2004 | 22" | 31" | 11" |
| 2000 | 25" | 32" | 9" |
| 1996 | 24" | 27" | 11" |
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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
Yellow perch · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Yellow perch · 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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 558 adults |
| 2024 | Northern Pike | 413 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Black Crappie | 75 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 204,000 fry |
| 2021 | Northern Pike | 155 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,966 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 895 fingerlings · 436 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Indian Lake is a 204-acre, class 43 lake, located to the southwest of the City of Round Lake in Nobles County. Indian Lake has a maximum depth of 6.0 ft. Runoff from surrounding agricultural fields has resulted in poor water quality in Indian Lake. Despite its shallowness, Indian Lake rarely experiences low dissolved oxygen levels in the winter; however, during the winter of 2022 and 2023 Indian Lake experienced low dissolved oxygen levels throughout much of the winter (less than 0.6 ppm). Indian Lake is managed primarily for black and white crappie, and secondarily for walleye and northern pike. To evaluate the success of the Walleye fry stocking that was done in the spring of 2023, boat electrofishing was used to capture fingerling Walleye on September 21, 2023, to determine their abundance.
Following the winterkill Walleye fry were stocked because they typically do very well in these conditions. The catch rate of Young of the year Walleye was 672.0 per hour, suggesting that the stocking was highly successful. Lengths of YOY walleye ranged from 4.5 to 6.7 inches and averaged 5.3 inches. This abundant year class of a top-level predator should help keep undesirable species of fish in check.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Indian Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Indian 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
- Indian Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Indian Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Round Lake · 930 ac · 4.7 mi
- Bella Lake · 180 ac · 5.9 mi
- Ocheda Lake · 1,691 ac · 6.2 mi
- Okabena Lake · 776 ac · 9.3 mi
- Rush Lake · 243 ac · 18.6 mi
- Little Spirit Lake · 624 ac · 18.8 mi
- Pearl Lake · 117 ac · 19.4 mi
- East Graham Lake · 511 ac · 19.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Indian Lake?
Indian Lake reaches 6 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Indian Lake?
Indian Lake covers 197 acres with about 3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Indian Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Indian Lake average 2.5 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Indian Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Indian Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Indian Lake have a public access?
Yes. Indian Lake has one public access site: Indian Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Indian Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Indian Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Indian Lake in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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