Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Island Lake Fishing guide
Island Lake covers 232 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 76 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 15.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeFair numbers6.5per gill net19"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 41 fish
2024Lengths measured · 54 fish
2018Lengths measured · 54 fish
2005Lengths measured · 60 fish
2000BluegillJust a few22.9per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 210 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 210 fish
2024Lengths measured · 110 fish
2018Lengths measured · 162 fish
2005Lengths measured · 350 fish
2000Rates 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 Island Lake through the year
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn. At 15.9 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 76 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 15.9 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 76 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 | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | 29" | 27" |
| 2018 | — | 34" | 27" |
| 2005 | — | 32" | 30" |
| 2000 | — | 32" | 29" |
| 1995 | — | 28" | 30" |
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:
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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
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
Though Walleyes have not been stocked into Island-Loon since 1967, it is connected to Whitefish Lake that is stocked annually with fry and every other year with fingerlings. The 2024 Walleye catch was on the low side for this type of lake at 0.2/gill net. The one fish caught was large at 27.1".
Northern Pike were sampled in average numbers for this type of lake at 6.5/gill net. Mean length was 20.8" with 15% measuring 26" or larger.
Read the full DNR narrative
Largemouth Bass numbers for the Whitefish Chain, which includes Island-Loon, were 44.9/hr run-time. Average length was 13.1". Three Smallmouth Bass were also netted while electrofishing; all were over 16".
In 2021, a new regulation was adopted that reduced the Black Crappie and Sunfish daily limit to 5 each to maintain or improve panfish sizes in The Whitefish Chain. Only 1 Black Crappie was captured at 9.8". Bluegill numbers were average at 22.9/trap net. Average length was only 5.5", with 11% at least 7" and fish over 8" present.
Lake Whitefish and Tullibee (Cisco) are two cold water species found in this lake, and both were caught in average numbers for this type of lake at 0.5/gill net and 2.5/gill net, respectively. Average Whitefish length was 19.3", while average Tullibee length was 14.0".
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Island Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Island 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
- Public access: Channel from Whitefish Lake on southwwest shore.
DNR bathymetry
Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Ox Lake · 241 ac · 0.8 mi
- Big Trout Lake · 1,366 ac · 1.4 mi
- Rush Lake · 858 ac · 1.4 mi
- Daggett Lake · 258 ac · 2.3 mi
- Pleasant Lake · 22 ac · 2.8 mi
- Little Pine Lake · 330 ac · 2.9 mi
- West Fox Lake · 449 ac · 3.1 mi
- Cross Lake Reservoir · 1,815 ac · 3.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Island Lake?
Island Lake reaches 76 ft at its deepest point; about 37% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Island Lake?
Island Lake covers 232 acres with about 5.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Island Lake average 15.9 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Island Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Island Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Island Lake has one public access site: Public access (Channel from Whitefish Lake on southwwest shore.).
When was Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Island Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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