Minnesota · Hubbard County
Island Lake Fishing guide
Island Lake covers 225 acres in Hubbard County, Minnesota, reaching 32 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassGood numbers66.5per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 147 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 147 fish
2025Lengths measured · 97 fish
2018Lengths measured · 46 fish
2011Lengths measured · 27 fish
2004Northern pikeFair numbers9.2per gill net16"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 60 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 60 fish
2025Lengths measured · 48 fish
2018Lengths measured · 64 fish
2011Lengths measured · 53 fish
2004BluegillJust a few10.5per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 198 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 198 fish
2025Lengths measured · 264 fish
2018Lengths measured · 160 fish
2011Lengths measured · 144 fish
2004CrappieJust a few1.3per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 21 fish
2025Lengths measured · 23 fish
2018Lengths measured · 35 fish
2011Lengths measured · 10 fish
2004Rates 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
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 12.8 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. With 61% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12.8 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. With 61% 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17" | 35" | 23" |
| 2018 | 18" | 26" | 21" |
| 2011 | 18" | 34" | 22" |
| 2004 | 20" | 27" | — |
| 1997 | 19" | 36" | 20" |
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:
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
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
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 2025 survey
Island Lake (Dow # 29-0088-00) is located seven miles south of Nevis in southern Hubbard County. Island Lake has a surface area of 225 acres and a maximum depth of 32 feet. There is a county-owned public access with an earthen ramp located on the north shore of the lake off Chokecherry Lane. Island Lake provides angling opportunities for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, panfish and an occasional Walleye.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Island Lake is in Lake Class 29. Lake Class 29 lakes generally have a high littoral area (lake area less than 15 feet deep) and a regularly shaped shoreline. Other Lake Class 29 lakes in the Park Rapids management area include: Cedar, Horseshoe, Mow, Palmer, Spirit, and Tenth Crow Wing.
Read the full DNR narrative
Anglers can expect to find an abundant Northern Pike population dominated by small, "hammer handle" pike in the 18-to-22-inch size range, with a few larger Northern Pike sampled up to 35.2 inches.
There are also an abundant number of Largemouth Bass which are generally smaller in size with an average length of 10.6 inches, but fish up to 18 inches were sampled.
Island Lake provides opportunities for panfish including Bluegill, Pumpkinseed and Black Crappie. Bluegill and Pumpkinseed were sampled in lower numbers when compared to similar lakes but about half of the fish sampled were in the 6 to 8-inch range, with fish up to 9.6 inches. Black Crappies numbers have remained stable but are smaller in size with an average size of 9.1 inches and very few fish over 11 inches sampled. Only 3 Walleye were captured in the most recent survey, the sizes ranged from 21 to 23 inches.
Currently no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Island Lake. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access.
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
- Island Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Fourth Crow Wing Lake · 434 ac · 1.4 mi
- Third Crow Wing Lake · 643 ac · 1.7 mi
- Sixth Crow Wing Lake · 346 ac · 3.2 mi
- First Crow Wing Lake · 522 ac · 3.4 mi
- Fifth Crow Wing Lake · 400 ac · 3.5 mi
- Second Crow Wing Lake · 221 ac · 3.6 mi
- Big Stony Lake · 343 ac · 3.9 mi
- Seventh Crow Wing Lake · 262 ac · 4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Island Lake?
Island Lake reaches 32 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 8 ft; about 61% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Island Lake?
Island Lake covers 225 acres with about 3.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Island Lake average 12.8 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth 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: Island Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Island Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 17"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Island Lake in 2025, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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