Minnesota · Stearns County
Kings Lake Fishing guide
Kings Lake covers 204 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota, reaching 44 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 12.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.8per gill net20"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 2 fish
2025Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2025Lengths measured · 27 fish
2015Lengths measured · 15 fish
2004Largemouth bassFair numbers25.6per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 133 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 2 fish
2025Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 131 fish
2025Lengths measured · 25 fish
2015Lengths measured · 110 fish
2004Northern pikeFair numbers6.2per gill net26"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 2 fish
2025Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 39 fish
2025Lengths measured · 25 fish
2015Lengths measured · 52 fish
2004BluegillFair numbers39per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 864 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 169 fish
2025Lengths measured · 695 fish
2025Lengths measured · 514 fish
2015Lengths measured · 504 fish
2004CrappieJust a few2.8per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 95 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 31 fish
2025Lengths measured · 64 fish
2025Lengths measured · 159 fish
2015Lengths measured · 18 fish
2004Yellow perchExcellent numbers17.8per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 114 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 5 fish
2025Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 109 fish
2025Lengths measured · 141 fish
2015Lengths measured · 176 fish
2004Rates 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 Kings Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 12.8 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 44 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 12.8 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 44 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24" | 21" | 32" |
| 2015 | 22" | 19" | 31" |
| 2004 | 22" | 19" | 30" |
| 1994 | 28" | 6" | 37" |
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
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
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 | 300 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,000 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 1,000 fingerlings · 1,000 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,000 yearlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 850 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Kings was conducted on August 25-August 27, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program (LBMA) 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 five stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at three stations. Two stations were not seined due to high water depths that made foot traversal difficult. Nearshore sampling captured 22 species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, and Pugnose Shiner) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by LBMA staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured 10 species of fish Bluegill and Black Crappie comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Bluegill and Yellow Bullhead comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net were combined with gill net data from a June 2025 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., Blackchin Shiner, Least Darter, and Pugnose Shiner), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish and Common Carp). 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.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Kings Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score that exceeds the exceptional use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings, which indicated Kings Lake is fully supporting aquatic life. Kings Lake was also selected for a repeat survey to evaluate within-season variability, so you may note two similar surveys completed in summer 2025. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Sauk River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Kings Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Kings Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Kings 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
- Kings Lake (trailer launch)
- Kings Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Kings Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Long Lake · 92 ac · 1.2 mi
- Cedar Lake · 95 ac · 2.4 mi
- St. Anna Lake · 126 ac · 5.6 mi
- Mary Lake · 129 ac · 5.9 mi
- Sylvia Lake · 85 ac · 6 mi
- Black Oak Lake · 95 ac · 6.3 mi
- Sand Lake · 209 ac · 6.5 mi
- Big Birch Lake · 2,107 ac · 6.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Kings Lake?
Kings Lake reaches 44 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 23.4 ft; about 23% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Kings Lake?
Kings Lake covers 204 acres with about 3.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Kings Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Kings Lake average 12.8 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Kings Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Kings Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Kings Lake have a public access?
Yes. Kings Lake has 2 public access sites, including Kings Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Kings Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Kings Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Kings Lake in 2025, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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