Minnesota · Hubbard County
Island Lake Fishing guide
Island Lake sits in Hubbard County, Minnesota, and covers 541 acres, reaching 65 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.7per gill net18"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 24 fish
2025Lengths measured · 39 fish
2020Lengths measured · 32 fish
2015Lengths measured · 62 fish
2010Northern pikeGood numbers12.9per gill net19"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 124 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 124 fish
2025Lengths measured · 73 fish
2020Lengths measured · 43 fish
2015Lengths measured · 82 fish
2010BluegillJust a few13per trap net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 122 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 122 fish
2025Lengths measured · 120 fish
2020Lengths measured · 45 fish
2015Lengths measured · 38 fish
2010CrappieJust a few1.4per trap net9"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2025Lengths measured · 34 fish
2020Lengths measured · 42 fish
2015Lengths measured · 13 fish
2010Yellow perchExcellent numbers18.1per gill net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 175 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 175 fish
2025Lengths measured · 23 fish
2020Lengths measured · 38 fish
2015Lengths measured · 626 fish
2010Rock bassOne of the best around3.2per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 59 fish
2025Lengths measured · 53 fish
2020Lengths measured · 18 fish
2015Lengths measured · 24 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 Island Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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 65 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.
- 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 65 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 | 32" | 27" | 17" |
| 2020 | 28" | 28" | 19" |
| 2015 | 28" | 27" | — |
| 2010 | 26" | 26" | 20" |
| 2005 | 37" | 27" | 18" |
| 2000 | 33" | 30" | 19" |
| 1995 | 29" | 26" | — |
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 | 2,759 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 4,140 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 7,164 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 9,556 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 8,208 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Island Lake (DOW # 29-0254-00) is located seven miles north of Park Rapids in Hubbard County. Island Lake has a surface area of 541 acres and a maximum depth of 65 feet. There is a state-owned public access located on the west end of the lake off Inland Drive. Island Lake is a popular lake for Walleye and Northern Pike and provides fishing opportunities for Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Largemouth Bass.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Island is in Lake Class 25. Lake Class 25 lakes generally have hard water, good clarity, deep depth, and an irregular shaped shoreline. Other Lake Class 25 lakes in the Park Rapids management area include: Bad Axe, Belle Taine, Eagle, Little Mantrap, Little Sand, Mantrap, Ojibway, Spider, Straight, Third Crow Wing, Two Inlets, and West Crooked.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye abundance was down slightly from historical surveys, but a good diversity of ages and sizes were sampled. Walleye had an average length and weight of 16.5 inches and 1.74 pounds, with fish measured up to 28.0 inches. Yellow Perch, an important forage species for Walleye, abundance was up over the past two surveys, but most fish were still small in size with the average being 6.0 inches.
Northern Pike were sampled in high numbers for this Lake Class. While larger Northern Pike are present in Island Lake, small "hammer handle" in the 18-to-22-inch size range dominate the population. Sampled Northern Pike had an average length and weight of 19.6 inches and 1.82 pounds, with fish sampled up to 32.2 inches.
Present and past surveys have shown the panfish population in Island Lake fluctuates from low to moderate numbers. About half of Bluegill and Pumpkinseed sampled were in the 6-to-8-inch size range, with fish sampled up to 10 inches. Low numbers of Black Crappie were sampled in smaller sizes, ranging from 9 to 11 inches in size.
While anglers can find good fishing for Largemouth Bass on Island Lake, overall bass abundance is low to moderate when compared to other area lakes.
Currently Zebra Mussel, an aquatic invasive species (AIS) has 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 form their boats 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
- Eagle Lake · 424 ac · 1.7 mi
- Cedar Lake · 103 ac · 2.9 mi
- Hungry Man Lake · 144 ac · 3.3 mi
- Coon Lake · 95 ac · 3.9 mi
- Dinner Lake · 59 ac · 3.9 mi
- Potato Lake · 2,096 ac · 4.3 mi
- Two Inlets Lake · 578 ac · 4.4 mi
- Kane Lake · 32 ac · 4.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Island Lake?
Island Lake reaches 65 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 21 ft; about 33% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Island Lake?
Island Lake covers 541 acres with about 7.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Island Lake average 9.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity 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?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Island Lake has one public access site: Island Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Island Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 32"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Island Lake in 2025, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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