Minnesota · Beltrami County
Julia Lake Fishing guide
Julia Lake covers 511 acres in Beltrami County, Minnesota, reaching 43 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers8.6per gill net18"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 84 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 84 fish
2023Lengths measured · 123 fish
2018Lengths measured · 105 fish
2013Lengths measured · 139 fish
2003Largemouth bassFair numbers33.8per hr (electrofishing)8"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 18 fish
2023Lengths measured · 31 fish
2018Lengths measured · 1 fish
2013Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2003Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers12per gill net21"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 116 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 116 fish
2023Lengths measured · 92 fish
2018Lengths measured · 132 fish
2013Lengths measured · 97 fish
2003BluegillJust a few11.7per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 717 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 515 fish
2024Lengths measured · 202 fish
2023Lengths measured · 259 fish
2018Lengths measured · 66 fish
2013Yellow perchGood numbers7.2per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 68 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 68 fish
2023Lengths measured · 447 fish
2018Lengths measured · 627 fish
2013Lengths measured · 616 fish
2003Rock bassExcellent numbers4.5per seine haul7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 39 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 39 fish
2023Lengths measured · 51 fish
2018Lengths measured · 27 fish
2013Lengths measured · 56 fish
2003Rates 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 Julia 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 43 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.
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 43 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.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 29" | 32" | 17" |
| 2018 | 29" | 31" | 15" |
| 2013 | 28" | 31" | 11" |
| 2003 | 26" | 28" | 13" |
| 1996 | 28" | 36" | — |
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
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
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 | 250,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 250,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 252,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 253,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 251,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 266,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
In spring 2021, a daily bag limit reduction for sunfish (5 fish/day) was implemented on Lake Beltrami as part of the statewide Quality Sunfish Initiative (QSI). The goal of this special regulation is to maintain or improve Bluegill size structure by reducing angler harvest. In order to evaluate effectiveness of the regulation, Bluegill populations on many QSI lakes are periodically assessed. Primary data of interest include size structure metrics as well as age structure and growth information. Because age and growth data were recorded recently for Beltrami in 2020, these data were not collected in 2024.
On June 3, 2024, night electrofishing was conducted on Lake Julia. Surface water temperatures were in the mid-sixties, and Bluegill was the only species collected. Areas sampled are shown in Figure 1. During 1:03 of on-time, 515 Bluegill were captured, resulting in a catch rate of 487.3 fish/hour. Lengths ranged from <1.0 to 9.3 inches with an average size of 4.8 inches. Forty fish were larger than eight inches, representing 7.8 percent of the sample. In 2020, the overall catch rate was much lower but size structure was similar.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Julia Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Julia 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 Julia (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Julia Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Turtle Lake · 469 ac · 2.2 mi
- Turtle Lake · 1,607 ac · 3.6 mi
- Campbell Lake · 463 ac · 3.9 mi
- Black Lake · 271 ac · 4 mi
- Long Lake · 664 ac · 4.1 mi
- Sandy Lake · 261 ac · 5 mi
- Three Island Lake · 730 ac · 5.2 mi
- Movil Lake · 855 ac · 5.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Julia Lake?
Julia Lake reaches 43 ft at its deepest point; about 33% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Julia Lake?
Julia Lake covers 511 acres with about 6.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Julia Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Julia Lake average 8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Julia Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Julia Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Julia Lake have a public access?
Yes. Julia Lake has one public access site: Lake Julia (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Julia Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Julia Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Julia Lake in 2024, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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