Minnesota · Pope County
Lake Linka Fishing guide
Lake Linka sits in Pope County, Minnesota, and covers 178 acres, reaching 50 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 7.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers1.3per gill net21"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2023Lengths measured · 14 fish
2017Lengths measured · 6 fish
2011Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 18 fish
2006Largemouth bassFair numbers30per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 56 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 56 fish
2023Lengths measured · 85 fish
2017Lengths measured · 22 fish
2011Lengths measured · 36 fish
2006Northern pikeFair numbers6.8per gill net26"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 41 fish
2023Lengths measured · 38 fish
2017Lengths measured · 28 fish
2011Lengths measured · 37 fish
2006BluegillJust a few21.8per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 210 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 210 fish
2023Lengths measured · 191 fish
2017Lengths measured · 212 fish
2011Lengths measured · 646 fish
2006Yellow perchFair numbers3.5per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 22 fish
2023Lengths measured · 101 fish
2017Lengths measured · 32 fish
2011Lengths measured · 49 fish
2006Rates 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 Linka through the year
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. On a lake that drops to 50 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.
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 50 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.
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 | 23" | 20" | 34" |
| 2017 | 28" | 20" | 31" |
| 2011 | 21" | 18" | 29" |
| 2006 | 25" | 19" | 31" |
| 2001 | 25" | 20" | 29" |
| 1996 | 22" | 18" | 30" |
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 · 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
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 | 344 fingerlings · 72 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,150 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 568 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 102 fingerlings · 214 yearlings · 123 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Lake Linka is a 175 acre, moderately productive basin located in southern Pope County. Maximum depth of the lake is 50 feet. Average depth is estimated at 22 feet. Water clarity is very good. Transparency measurements average 14.0 feet throughout the summer with occasional decreases due to weather events. The lake supports a robust and diverse aquatic plant community which offers high-quality fish habitat for sunfishes, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. The public access is located on the east shore off Lake Linka Road. This access is shallow and launching larger boats during low water levels can be problematic.
A standard fisheries survey was completed in July of 2023 to evaluate abundance and size distribution of gamefish populations. Walleye catches remain low (1.3/gill net). Walleye captures tended to be large fish averaging 19.9 inches and 3.1 pounds. Regular Walleye fingerling stockings were discontinued by the MN DNR in 2017 due to extremely poor survival of stocked fingerlings. The current stocking regime prescribes surplus stockings of larger Walleye, when available, to maintain a limited fishery.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike abundance remained at a desirable level (6.8/gill net). Average length was 26.5 inches. The largest pike capture measured 34.1 inches. Anglers are reminded that new pike zone regulations were implemented in 2018. Lake Linka is located in the North-Central Zone. Anglers can now keep up to 10 pike but not more than two can be over 26 inches in length. All pike between 22-26 inches must be immediately released. Harvesting smaller pike will help shift the population back towards larger individuals and reduce the number of predators for young Walleye and other gamefish.
Largemouth Bass are abundant in Lake Linka. Electrofishing catch rates of Largemouth Bass were the second highest on record. Largemouth Bass growth is moderate and on average it takes four years for bass to reach 12.0 inches. Size structure of the electrofishing catch described a quality fishery. Fifty-Five percent of the bass were over 12.0 inches and the largest bass observed from all sampling types was 20.8 inches.
Bluegill catch rates (21.8 fish/trap net) were similar to the historic average for Lake Linka. Age distribution of Bluegill catches extended to age 6, but 70% of the captures were young (age 2 or 3). Consequently, average size was low (5.2 inches). Growth was rapid and did allow some individuals to exceed 8.0 inches. Black Crappies are present at low density and offer minimal fishing opportunity for this species. Adult Yellow Perch numbers were low during the 2023 survey. Yellow Perch are preferred prey of Walleye, Northern Pike, and Largemouth Bass. Other fishes caught during the 2023 survey include Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, White Sucker, and multiple species of bullheads.
Lake Linka is not currently known to be infested with any aquatic invasive species, and lake users should take extra precautions to keep it that way. Anglers are reminded to drain boats and equipment prior to moving between bodies of water to minimize the risk of transferring aquatic invasive species to this or other lakes.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lake Linka fishing reports
Recent reports on Lake Linka 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
- Linka Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Lake Linka depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Gilchrist Lake · 336 ac · 1 mi
- Scandinavian Lake · 417 ac · 2.8 mi
- Goose Lake · 324 ac · 3.7 mi
- Nelson Lake · 293 ac · 4.6 mi
- Camp Lake · 230 ac · 6 mi
- Lake Johanna · 1,399 ac · 7.2 mi
- Signalness Lake · 42 ac · 8.3 mi
- Lake Minnewaska · 8,050 ac · 9.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lake Linka?
Lake Linka reaches 50 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 22 ft; about 40% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lake Linka?
Lake Linka covers 178 acres with about 2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lake Linka?
DNR Secchi readings on Lake Linka average 7.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lake Linka?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Lake Linka stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Lake Linka have a public access?
Yes. Lake Linka has one public access site: Linka Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Lake Linka?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Lake Linka last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lake Linka in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Lake Linka, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Lake Linka on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report