Minnesota · St. Louis County
Kjostad Lake Fishing guide
Kjostad Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 437 acres, reaching 50 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 8.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1per gill net15"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 16 fish
2012Lengths measured · 24 fish
2007Northern pikeJust a few1.9per gill net24"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 17 fish
2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 25 fish
2012Lengths measured · 18 fish
2007BluegillJust a few3.8per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 39 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 39 fish
2022Lengths measured · 37 fish
2017Lengths measured · 49 fish
2012Lengths measured · 12 fish
2007CrappieJust a few2.8per trap net9"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 27 fish
2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2017Lengths measured · 16 fish
2012Lengths measured · 10 fish
2007Rates 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 Kjostad 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 50 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.
- 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 50 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 | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 20" | 13" | 15" |
| 2017 | 29" | 13" | 17" |
| 2012 | 25" | 16" | 14" |
| 2007 | 23" | 18" | 12" |
| 2002 | 27" | 16" | 18" |
| 1997 | 21" | — | 19" |
| 1994 | 28" | — | 15" |
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 | 4,332 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 6,324 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 8,580 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 9,147 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 8,625 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Kjostad Lake on August 20th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. During the summer, Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on the profile from the deepest basin, the water temperature decreased below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 14.8 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 32.8 feet at the time of sampling. The thickness of this layer of water in the water column was 18.0 feet, indicating that oxythermal habitat was present for Cisco.
Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 8.0 degrees C (46.4 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were suitable for Cisco at the time of the survey.
Read the full DNR narrative
This is the first Minnesota Department of Natural Resources temperature and dissolved oxygen survey completed on Kjostad Lake during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th). When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Kjostad Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Kjostad 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
- County access: County-owned public access is located on the NE shore of the lake.
DNR bathymetry
Kjostad Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Clear Lake · 145 ac · 1.8 mi
- Myrtle Lake · 876 ac · 4.1 mi
- Ban Lake · 389 ac · 5.4 mi
- Winchester Lake · 319 ac · 5.4 mi
- Elbow Lake · 1,695 ac · 7.1 mi
- Bell Lake · 110 ac · 7.3 mi
- Echo Lake · 1,142 ac · 7.7 mi
- Elephant Lake · 728 ac · 8.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Kjostad Lake?
Kjostad Lake reaches 50 ft at its deepest point; about 65% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Kjostad Lake?
Kjostad Lake covers 437 acres with about 6.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Kjostad Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Kjostad Lake average 8.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Kjostad Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Kjostad Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Kjostad Lake have a public access?
Yes. Kjostad Lake has one public access site: County access (County-owned public access is located on the NE shore of the lake.).
How big do walleye get in Kjostad Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 20"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Kjostad Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Kjostad Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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