Minnesota · Itasca County
Jessie Lake Fishing guide
Jessie Lake is a 1,740-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 42 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 7.2 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 24 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers9.2per gill net15"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 165 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 93 fish
2025Lengths measured · 5 fish
2024Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 66 fish
2024Lengths measured · 40 fish
2023Northern pikeJust a few4.4per gill net23"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 80 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 30 fish
2024Lengths measured · 50 fish
2021Lengths measured · 14 fish
2018Lengths measured · 150 fish
2013Yellow perchOne of the best around75.4per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1359 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 738 fish
2024Lengths measured · 621 fish
2021Lengths measured · 475 fish
2018Lengths measured · 320 fish
2013Rates 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 Jessie Lake through the year
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 42 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.
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn.
- 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 42 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.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9" | — | — |
| 2024 | 25" | 17" | 28" |
| 2023 | 12" | — | — |
| 2022 | 13" | — | — |
| 2021 | 24" | 19" | 29" |
| 2018 | 24" | — | 31" |
| 2013 | 26" | 12" | 33" |
| 2009 | 27" | — | 34" |
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 · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 682,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 682,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 682,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 875,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 875,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 875,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 875,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,795,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 875,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Jessie Lake is a class 27 lake about two miles west of Talmoon, MN, in the Big Fork River watershed. In fall 2025, biologists used nighttime electrofishing to collect young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleye as part of a statewide study comparing lakes with and without Zebra Mussels.
Various management strategies have been attempted to produce a quality Walleye fishery on Jessie Lake. Prior studies observed stronger Walleye year-classes were generally associated with years of stocking. As a result, more than 10 years ago it was decided to stock Walleye fry on an annual basis but at lower densities. The goal was to make sure fry were in the system when the environmental conditions were favorable for producing good year-classes and reduce the chance of creating the boom or bust fishery that had been observed earlier.
Read the full DNR narrative
In fall 2025, electrofishing caught 92 young Walleye, which equals 55 fish per hour of sampling effort. These fish were between 4.8 and 7.2 inches long and averaged 6.3 inches. One older (yearling) Walleye measuring 9.1 inches was also caught. Water temperatures were in the upper 60s, and water clarity was good, which helped with sampling. Overall, both the number of young fish and their growth were better than average, suggesting 2025 had good conditions for young Walleye in Jessie Lake. This was different from nearby lakes like Lake Winnibigoshish and Bowstring Lake, where reproduction and survival were below average.
Anglers should remember that Walleye reproduction can vary a lot from year to year. Spring weather, especially water temperatures and timing, plays a big role in how many young fish survive. Fall electrofishing is useful for tracking trends over time, but a single year of results doesn't always predict future fishing success.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Jessie Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Jessie 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
- Jessie Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Jessie Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Jessie Lake · 628 ac · 2.1 mi
- Little Turtle Lake · 492 ac · 3.1 mi
- Peterson Lake · 163 ac · 4 mi
- Big Too Much Lake · 292 ac · 4.4 mi
- Bowstring Lake · 9,528 ac · 5.4 mi
- Turtle Lake · 2,126 ac · 5.8 mi
- Hatch Lake · 226 ac · 6 mi
- Maple Lake · 255 ac · 6.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Jessie Lake?
Jessie Lake reaches 42 ft at its deepest point; about 26% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Jessie Lake?
Jessie Lake covers 1,740 acres with about 9.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Jessie Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Jessie Lake average 7.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Jessie Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Jessie Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Jessie Lake have a public access?
Yes. Jessie Lake has one public access site: Jessie Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Jessie Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2009.
When was Jessie Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Jessie Lake in 2025, the most recent of 24 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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