Minnesota · Douglas County
Lake Jessie Fishing guide
Lake Jessie covers 110 acres in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 26 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 4.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
BluegillJust a few11.2per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 101 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 101 fish
2021Lengths measured · 46 fish
2020Lengths measured · 269 fish
2008Lengths measured · 347 fish
2004Rates 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 Jessie 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. With 63% 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.
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. With 63% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16" | 27" | — |
| 2020 | 17" | 27" | 30" |
| 2008 | 18" | 26" | 24" |
| 2004 | 18" | 27" | 31" |
| 2000 | 19" | 25" | 33" |
| 1996 | 17" | 18" | 27" |
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 69,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 69,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 3,450 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Jessie Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff from 16-18 August 2021. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 10 sites with two sites sampled from the boat. A 50-foot seine was used to sample two sites, a 15-foot seine was used at five sites, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at three sampling sites. Nearshore sampling captured 15 native species of fish including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (Iowa Darter) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted on 16-18 August 2021 by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill and Pumpkinseed comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Bluegill, Walleye, and Yellow Bullhead comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was below the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 34 lakes and the average length was 5.7 inches, with 24% over 7 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2020 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Data from this survey indicates Jessie Lake is in good health as indicated by an FIBI score above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Long Prairie River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lake Jessie fishing reports
Recent reports on Lake Jessie 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.
DNR bathymetry
Lake Jessie depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lake Victoria · 417 ac · 1.4 mi
- Lake Burgan · 174 ac · 2 mi
- Lake Geneva · 640 ac · 2.7 mi
- Smith Lake · 666 ac · 2.9 mi
- Union Lake · 107 ac · 3.7 mi
- Lake Agnes · 138 ac · 3.8 mi
- Lake Henry · 152 ac · 4.2 mi
- Lake Winona · 213 ac · 4.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lake Jessie?
Lake Jessie reaches 26 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 11 ft; about 63% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lake Jessie?
Lake Jessie covers 110 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lake Jessie?
DNR Secchi readings on Lake Jessie average 4.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lake Jessie?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lake Jessie stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
How big do largemouth bass get in Lake Jessie?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 16"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Lake Jessie last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lake Jessie in 2021, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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