Minnesota · Douglas County
Lake Henry Fishing guide
Lake Henry covers 152 acres in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 32 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Good numbers5.3per gill net19"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 16 fish
2023Lengths measured · 8 fish
2017Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2011Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2007Largemouth bassFair numbers43.2per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 55 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 55 fish
2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 1 fish
2011Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 65 fish
2007No recent survey rating.
BluegillJust a few24.6per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 130 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 130 fish
2023Lengths measured · 48 fish
2017Lengths measured · 12 fish
2011Lengths measured · 242 fish
2007Yellow perchOne of the best around63.7per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 195 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 195 fish
2023Lengths measured · 111 fish
2017Lengths measured · 61 fish
2011Lengths measured · 428 fish
2007No 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 Lake Henry through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 12.9 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. With 60% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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 12.9 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. With 60% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 24" | 17" | 34" |
| 2017 | 16" | 15" | 33" |
| 2011 | 22" | 11" | 34" |
| 2007 | 25" | 18" | 34" |
| 2003 | — | 19" | 30" |
| 1999 | 20" | 15" | 35" |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 92,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 92,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 92,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 988 fingerlings · 315 yearlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,766 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Lake Henry is a small (152 acres), productive basin located within the Long Prairie River watershed. Mean and maximum depths are 13 and 32 feet, respectively. Lake Henry, along with lakes Agnes and Winona, comprise a chain of lakes within the city limits of Alexandria. Lakes Henry and Agnes are broadly connected with a common "narrows" area between the two basins. A shallow sand and rock bar separates the two basins. This bar is only one to two feet under the water surface during normal water levels. There is no public access on Lake Henry. Boaters access the lake via the public access on connected Lake Agnes, although that can be challenging when water levels are low. Boaters should note that motorized watercraft operation across Lake Agnes is regulated by a slow, no-wake restriction. Alexandria's City Park, which includes a public swimming beach, is located on the southeast shoreline of Lake Henry. The park also has a fishing pier that protrudes into connected Lake Agnes.
A standard MN DNR lake survey was completed in summer 2023 to assess the fish community. Gamefish populations continue to expand in this basin as water quality and clarity continue to improve and aquatic vegetation becomes more abundant. The shallow, productive nature of this basin results in fast growth and larger average size for most gamefishes. A quality Largemouth Bass population was evident in 2023. This population is currently protected by a special 12- to 20-inch protected slot limit. All bass 12 to 20 inches in length must be immediately released with one bass over 20 inches allowed in possession. Panfish species commonly targeted by anglers include Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Yellow Perch. Black Crappie abundance has substantially declined in recent years due to a 2021 summerkill event that predominantly affected this species. Crappie fisheries are typically "boom or bust" in nature so hopefully this population recovers soon. Bluegill numbers have increased in recent years. The current population is characterized as moderate, in terms of both abundance and size structure. Yellow Perch are abundant. Harvestable-size perch are available but smaller fish tend to dominate this population. Northern Pike tend to exhibit lower abundance but larger average size on this basin. Record-high Walleye abundance was documented in 2023. Multiple year classes were sampled, with an average size of 17.9 inches and 2.2 pounds.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species sampled in the 2023 survey included Green Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, and White Sucker. White Suckers were particularly abundant. The next lake survey is tentatively scheduled for 2028.
Lake Henry is designated as an infested waterbody due to the presence of zebra mussels, which were first confirmed in 2022. For more information regarding aquatic invasive species in Minnesota see the following: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquatic/index.html.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lake Henry fishing reports
Recent reports on Lake Henry 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
- Public access: Channel connecting lakes Henry and Agnes. Access must be made through Lake Agnes.
DNR bathymetry
Lake Henry depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lake Agnes · 138 ac · 0.6 mi
- Lake Darling · 1,050 ac · 1.6 mi
- Lake Winona · 213 ac · 1.7 mi
- Lake Cowdrey · 243 ac · 2 mi
- Lake Le Homme Dieu · 1,801 ac · 2.1 mi
- Lake Geneva · 640 ac · 2.3 mi
- Lake Stony · 87 ac · 2.5 mi
- Lottie Lake · 46 ac · 2.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lake Henry?
Lake Henry reaches 32 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 13 ft; about 60% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lake Henry?
Lake Henry covers 152 acres with about 2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lake Henry?
DNR Secchi readings on Lake Henry average 12.9 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lake Henry?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Lake Henry stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Lake Henry have a public access?
Yes. Lake Henry has one public access site: Public access (Channel connecting lakes Henry and Agnes. Access must be made through Lake Agnes.).
How big do walleye get in Lake Henry?
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 1999.
When was Lake Henry last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lake Henry in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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