Minnesota · St. Louis County
Island Lake Fishing guide
Island Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 222 acres, reaching 65 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2015, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 11 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers39.8per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 57 fish
2015Lengths measured · 69 fish
2005Lengths measured · 3 fish
1997Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few4per gill net20"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 30 fish
2015Lengths measured · 69 fish
2005Lengths measured · 53 fish
1997BluegillJust a few5.5per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 62 fish
2015Lengths measured · 167 fish
2005Lengths measured · 175 fish
1997CrappieJust a few1.3per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 71 fish
Recent · 2015Lengths measured · 71 fish
2015Lengths measured · 86 fish
2005Lengths measured · 127 fish
1997Rates 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 14.5 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. On a lake that drops to 65 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 14.5 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 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 | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 19" | 25" | 36" |
| 2005 | 18" | 21" | 33" |
| 1997 | 15" | 25" | 28" |
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
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
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
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 2015 survey
Island Lake is a 227 acre lake located 14 miles south of Hibbing, MN in the St. Louis River watershed. Island Lake has clear, moderately hard water with low phosphorus fertility. The variety of substrate types and aquatic vegetation provides good habitat for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass and panfish. While most of the shoreline is in private ownership, the island was acquired by the DNR as an Aquatic Management Area that allows public use for picnicking, hiking and other day uses. A standard lake survey was conducted in August 2015 to update information on the fish population and evaluate walleye fingerling stocking.
Northern Pike numbers were within the expected range and similar to the long-term average for the lake. Size structure was moderate; sampled pike averaged 21.0 inches and 2.2 pounds, although one pike over 36 inches was captured. Age 3-4 pike made up the majority of the sample, with only one fish exceeding age 5. Growth was similar to the statewide average with fish averaging 24.0 inches at age 5. The general lack of fish over 24 inches and five years of age may be a result of harvest by anglers. Anglers can help improve the quality of the Northern Pike population by practicing selective harvest of fish under 22 inches, while releasing medium to large fish. Releasing these fish can help maintain a more balanced fish community and provide anglers the opportunity to catch more large fish in the future.
Read the full DNR narrative
The spring night electrofishing assessment showed a moderately abundant Largemouth Bass population. Size structure was modest; sampled bass averaged 12.8 inches and 1.2 pounds. Age analysis suggested consistent recruitment with many year classes represented. Growth was relatively slow with Largemouth Bass averaging 12.8 inches at age 6.
Black Crappie were the most common fish in the gill nets with numbers well above the expected range. Size structure was considered poor since a majority of the sample was age 1 to 3 fish measuring less than 8 inches. Angling opportunities for crappie should improve in the next few years as these young fish grow to more favorable sizes. Growth of Island Lake crappie is relatively slow with crappie averaging 9.6 inches at age 6.
Walleye numbers in Island Lake have generally been low, and fingerling stocking appears to contribute little to the fishery. Gill-nets sampled only one Walleye in 2015, despite fingerling stocking in two of the previous five years. Fingerling stocking will likely be discontinued, since lake conditions seem to favor other species such as Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass.
Other species sampled in test nets included Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Yellow Perch and Golden Shiner.
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
- Janette Lake · 133 ac · 1.1 mi
- Beauty Lake · 216 ac · 2.3 mi
- Helen Lake · 158 ac · 2.6 mi
- Long Lake · 131 ac · 3.6 mi
- Floodwood Lake · 314 ac · 4.3 mi
- Hart Lake · 328 ac · 5.8 mi
- Twin Lake · 147 ac · 6.3 mi
- New Lake · 78 ac · 6.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Island Lake?
Island Lake reaches 65 ft at its deepest point; about 64% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Island Lake?
Island Lake covers 222 acres with about 5.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Island Lake average 14.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2015) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
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 19"; 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 2015, the most recent of 8 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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