Minnesota · Douglas County
Lake Burgan Fishing guide
Lake Burgan is a 174-acre lake in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 43 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9.7 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 2025Just a few0.3per gill net12"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 4 fish
2025Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2022Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 25 fish
2019Lengths measured · 6 fish
2008Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Largemouth bassGood numbers62.6per hr (electrofishing)9"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 218 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 191 fish
2025Lengths measured · 27 fish
2022Lengths measured · 81 fish
2019Lengths measured · 89 fish
2008Northern pikeFair numbers7.2per gill net23"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 46 fish
2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2022Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 22 fish
2019Lengths measured · 16 fish
2008BluegillFair numbers35.6per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 680 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 321 fish
2025Lengths measured · 359 fish
2022Lengths measured · 209 fish
2019Lengths measured · 169 fish
2008CrappieJust a few1.8per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2025Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 14 fish
2022Lengths measured · 58 fish
2019Lengths measured · 42 fish
2008Yellow perchFair numbers4.2per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 33 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 28 fish
2025Lengths measured · 5 fish
2022Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2019Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2008Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rock bassGood numbers2.7per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 20 fish
2025Lengths measured · 5 fish
2022Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2019Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2008Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Lake Burgan 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.
- 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 43 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18" | 35" | 21" |
| 2022 | 10" | 10" | 12" |
| 2019 | 18" | 34" | 23" |
| 2008 | 18" | 30" | 21" |
| 2004 | 17" | 35" | 20" |
| 2000 | 18" | 26" | 22" |
| 1996 | 19" | 25" | 19" |
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
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
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
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 | 200 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,764 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 250 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,504 fingerlings · 450 yearlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 552 yearlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 450 fingerlings · 450 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 729 yearlings · 13 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,871 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Lake Burgen is a 174-acre moderately fertile basin located on the southeast corner of Alexandria in Douglas County. The lake has a relatively unique basin morphology with steep shoreline breaks and limited shallow water area. Maximum and mean depths are approximately 43 and 31 feet, respectively. Lake Burgen lies within the Long Prairie River watershed and is connected to the Alexandria Chain of Lakes via a non-navigable channel to Lake Victoria. Residential development surrounds most of the shoreline. Water quality and clarity are considered good and have further increased in recent years following zebra mussel infestation. Secchi disk readings now exceed 15 feet during summer months. A public access is located on the north shoreline near the outlet to Lake Victoria.
A standard MN DNR lake survey was completed in summer 2025 to assess the fish community of Lake Burgen. Survey methodology included electrofishing, gill nets, and trap nets. Survey results were indicative of a typical bass-panfish fishery found in smaller, vegetated basins in west-central Minnesota. Largemouth Bass and Bluegill were abundant but small- to medium-sized fish dominated these populations. Mean size of bass collected with electrofishing was just 9.9 inches but bass exceeding 18 inches were sampled. Mean size of Bluegill was 5.1 inches in the trap net sample and 6.5 inches in the gill net sample. Black Crappie and Yellow Perch provide additional panfishing opportunities. Too few Black Crappie were sampled in 2025 to accurately describe this population. The perch population has increased in recent years in terms of both abundance and size structure. Harvestable-size perch are available but are not common. Northern Pike were also abundant. Size structure of this population has improved in recent years, and many pike sampled exceeded the upper harvest limit (26 inches) of the North-central Zone regulation. See https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/northern/zones.html for more information on pike zone regulations. Walleye numbers have declined from the record-high levels observed during the 2019 survey. Only four Walleye, ranging in length from 15-21 inches, were sampled in 2025. Walleye fingerlings or yearlings are stocked by the MN DNR and Lake Burgen Association to help bolster this population.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other species sampled during the 2025 survey included Black, Brown, and Yellow Bullhead, Common Carp, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and White Sucker. Smallmouth Bass have been present in connected Lake Victoria since 2008, but this was the first time they have been sampled in Lake Burgen. The next standard lake survey is tentatively scheduled for 2031.
Lake Burgen is designated as an infested waterbody due to the presence of zebra mussels. Adult zebra mussels were first confirmed in 2017. See https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/index.html for more information regarding aquatic invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lake Burgan fishing reports
Recent reports on Lake Burgan 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
- Burgen Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Lake Burgan depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lake Victoria · 417 ac · 1.9 mi
- Lake Jessie · 110 ac · 2 mi
- Union Lake · 107 ac · 2.2 mi
- Lake Winona · 213 ac · 3.3 mi
- Lake Agnes · 138 ac · 3.5 mi
- Lake Geneva · 640 ac · 3.6 mi
- Lake Henry · 152 ac · 4 mi
- Lake Andrew · 923 ac · 4.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lake Burgan?
Lake Burgan reaches 43 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 31 ft; about 27% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lake Burgan?
Lake Burgan covers 174 acres with about 2.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lake Burgan?
DNR Secchi readings on Lake Burgan average 9.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lake Burgan?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lake Burgan stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Lake Burgan have a public access?
Yes. Lake Burgan has one public access site: Burgen Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Lake Burgan?
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 1996.
When was Lake Burgan last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lake Burgan in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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