Minnesota · Wright County
John Lake Fishing guide
John Lake sits in Wright County, Minnesota, and covers 398 acres, reaching 28 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers3.1per gill net19"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 29 fish
2016Lengths measured · 38 fish
2006Lengths measured · 18 fish
1996Rates 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 John 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. With 89% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 89% 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 25" | 20" | 29" |
| 2006 | 26" | 17" | 33" |
| 1996 | 25" | 19" | 32" |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Flipping/Punching Creature Bait
4" beaver/creature-style bait
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 176,425 fry · 764 fingerlings · 2,278 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 10,590 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 5,367 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 216 yearlings · 401 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 295 fingerlings · 991 yearlings · 99 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in John Lake, was conducted on July 31st, 2025, by Area Fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 4 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at 1 station. Five stations were not seined due to deep water and dense lilies. Nearshore sampling captured 14 species of fish including 2 species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish and Iowa Darter) and 1 that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a July 2016 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Banded Killifish and Iowa Darter), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in John Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score above the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which indicated that John Lake is fully supporting aquatic life. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the North Fork Crow River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in John Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
John Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on John 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
- Lake John, Huikko Landing (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
John Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- East Lake Sylvia · 669 ac · 1.6 mi
- Pleasant Lake · 597 ac · 2.1 mi
- West Lake Sylvia · 904 ac · 2.4 mi
- Augusta Lake · 187 ac · 2.8 mi
- Clearwater Lake · 3,187 ac · 3.6 mi
- French Lake · 346 ac · 3.7 mi
- Moose Lake · 87 ac · 4 mi
- Caroline Lake · 137 ac · 4.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is John Lake?
John Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12.9 ft; about 89% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is John Lake?
John Lake covers 398 acres with about 5.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in John Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on John Lake average 7.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in John Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is John Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does John Lake have a public access?
Yes. John Lake has one public access site: Lake John, Huikko Landing (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in John 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 1996.
When was John Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed John Lake in 2025, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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