Minnesota · Todd County
Lady Lake Fishing guide
Lady Lake sits in Todd County, Minnesota, and covers 177 acres, reaching 62 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 11.1 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassGood numbers54.7per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 88 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 85 fish
2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2021Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2019Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 75 fish
2016Northern pikeJust a few5.5per gill net19"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 46 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 39 fish
2024Lengths measured · 7 fish
2021Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 9 fish
2019Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 55 fish
2016BluegillJust a few10.2per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 483 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 105 fish
2024Lengths measured · 378 fish
2021Lengths measured · 550 fish
2019Lengths measured · 517 fish
2016CrappieJust a few7.4per trap net9"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 310 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 180 fish
2024Lengths measured · 130 fish
2021Lengths measured · 26 fish
2019Lengths measured · 238 fish
2016No recent survey rating.
Rates 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 Lady Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 11.1 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 62 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11.1 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 62 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 17" | 24" | 34" |
| 2021 | 18" | 17" | 27" |
| 2019 | 18" | 26" | 30" |
| 2016 | 19" | 28" | 35" |
| 2014 | 19" | — | 35" |
| 2011 | 18" | 29" | 26" |
| 2005 | 15" | 26" | 30" |
| 1999 | 19" | 25" | 29" |
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:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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
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 | 2,700 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 2,700 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
A standard survey was performed on Lady Lake in 2024 consisting of summer gill netting, summer trap netting, and daytime electrofishing targeting Largemouth Bass. The primary purpose of this survey was to provide updated information regarding managed species such as Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass. Additionally, this effort was conducted to gather data on other species such as Yellow Perch, Walleye and possibly Cisco. Summer trap nets were set as required to provide for calculation of a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI). The index results are presented in a separate report.
The catch rate for Northern Pike in the 2024 gill nets was 5.5/lift which was similar to the 6.67/lift observed in 2016 and lower than most previous surveys. Average length was 21.4 inches and maximum length was 34.3 inches. Pike in the 22-26" protected slot comprised 21% of the catch and 23.5% exceeded 24 inches. Pike sizes in 2024 were more desirable than the past several surveys. In 2016 gill netted pike averaged 19.1 inches, 15% were in the 22-26 inch protected slot and 10% surpassed 24 inches. Prior to 2024, the last time a pike over 30 inches was captured in a gill net was 2005. Quite often when pike numbers are reduced the size of pike improves and this seemed to be the case in 2024.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye have maintained their presence in Lady Lake despite an absence of stocking for several decades prior to 2023. Recent stocking has consisted of Walleye fingerlings in 2023 and 2024 by private interests. The 2024 gill nets sampled 7 Walleyes from 18.7 to 24.1 inches in length. None of these fish can be attributed to the renewed stocking efforts due to their large size. It has been speculated that these fish immigrate into the lake from connected waters such as Big Swan Lake. Very limited spawning habitat is available in Lady Lake itself. Perch numbers have almost always been quite low in the lady lake gill nets. No perch were captured in 2024. Cisco are a rare find in Lady and none were sampled in 2024. Two Cisco were captured in 2016.
Due to the special regulations for sunfish in place on Lady Lake the Bluegill population is being evaluated primarily by spring trap net sampling which tends to more effectively assess quality aspects of the population. The summer trap nets in 2024 did indicate a strong presence of Bluegill between 7 and 8.5 inches. The summer trap nets in 2024 were effective in sampling Black Crappie as 67 fish were captured. The trap netted crappie averaged 10 inches long and 3 fish were over 12 inches. Spring electrofishing produced an even larger sample of 109 crappies. Electrofished crappies ranged from 7.5 to 13.2 inches long, average length was 9.7 inches and 4 fish exceeded 12 inches. The 2024 summer trap netting and electrofishing efforts suggest the Bluegill and crappie populations currently display favorable abundance and size structures.
Electrofishing also provided a sample of 77 Largemouth Bass resulting in a catch rate near the average range for the work area. A vast majority of the bass were over 12 inches and large bass were well represented with fish over 16 inches accounting for 27% of the total catch. Average length was 14.6 inches and the largest fish was 17.9 inches. Past daytime electrofishing assessments have shown similar catch rates and size structures. Aging performed in 2024 showed bass grow well with Age 4 fish averaging 12 inches and Age 6 averaging 15.1 inches. Spawning success is very consistent.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lady Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Lady 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
- Lady Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Lady Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Twin Lake · 121 ac · 1.1 mi
- Trace Lake · 253 ac · 1.5 mi
- Bass Lake · 94 ac · 2.3 mi
- Big Swan Lake · 947 ac · 2.4 mi
- Long Lake · 399 ac · 2.7 mi
- Buck Lake · 61 ac · 2.8 mi
- Fuller Lake · 52 ac · 3.3 mi
- Hennessy Lake · 52 ac · 3.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lady Lake?
Lady Lake reaches 62 ft at its deepest point; about 39% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lady Lake?
Lady Lake covers 177 acres with about 3.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lady Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Lady Lake average 11.1 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lady Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lady Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2023.
Does Lady Lake have a public access?
Yes. Lady Lake has one public access site: Lady Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Lady Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 18"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1999.
When was Lady Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lady Lake in 2024, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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