Minnesota · DNR survey data
Knife Lake
Knife Lake covers 4,920 acres in Lake County, running to 179 feet, last surveyed by the DNR in 2025. The Minnesota DNR has not published bathymetry for this lake, so there is no depth map here, just the survey record: what the nets held and how big it ran.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeGood numbers4.3per gill net16"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 120 fish
Recent surveysLengths measured · 120 fish
2017Lengths measured · 87 fish
2006Lengths measured · 71 fish
1993Smallmouth bassPresent (last recorded 2017)0.8per gill net17"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent surveysLengths measured · 22 fish
2017Lengths measured · 17 fish
2006Lengths measured · 5 fish
1993Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few0.9per gill net24"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent surveysLengths measured · 26 fish
2017Lengths measured · 30 fish
2006Lengths measured · 10 fish
1993BluegillPresent (last recorded 2017)0.9per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
No recent survey rating.
Lake troutPresent (last recorded 2017)Last recorded in the 2017 survey and not seen since.
Last recorded in the 2017 survey and not seen since.
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent surveysLengths measured · 34 fish
2017Lengths measured · 28 fish
2006Lengths measured · 41 fish
1993Rock bassGood numbers2.4per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent surveysLengths measured · 29 fish
2017Lengths measured · 33 fish
2006Lengths measured · 16 fish
1993Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear — which is why the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, the page shows presence and size only. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey. You can read every number on this page without an app or an account.
Recent reports
Knife Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Knife 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.
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Sema Lake · 74 ac · 1 mi
- Spoon Lake · 256 ac · 1.6 mi
- Amoeber Lake · 410 ac · 2.2 mi
- Kekekabic Lake · 1,689 ac · 2.3 mi
- Little Knife Lake · 700 ac · 2.7 mi
- Topaz Lake · 150 ac · 3.3 mi
- Cherry Lake · 153 ac · 4.3 mi
- Lunar Lake · 62 ac · 4.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Is there a depth map for Knife Lake?
The Minnesota DNR has not published bathymetry for Knife Lake, so this page carries the survey record instead: species, catch rates and stocking history.
What fish are in Knife Lake?
The most recent DNR survey (2025) recorded walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch, lake trout, rock bass.
Is Knife Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Knife Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
When was Knife Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Knife Lake in 2025, the most recent of 6 surveys on record.
Survey numbers are the Minnesota DNR's. How this site reads them →
Page updated .