Minnesota · Douglas County
Lake Louise Fishing guide
Lake Louise covers 215 acres in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 33 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 10 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers24.2per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 61 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 58 fish
2023Lengths measured · 3 fish
2022Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 81 fish
2017Lengths measured · 80 fish
2011Northern pikeOne of the best around15.8per gill net20"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 110 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 105 fish
2023Lengths measured · 5 fish
2022Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 62 fish
2017Lengths measured · 39 fish
2011Present in recent DNR surveys.
BluegillJust a few24.1per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 522 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 310 fish
2023Lengths measured · 212 fish
2022Lengths measured · 310 fish
2017Lengths measured · 192 fish
2011CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 7 fish
2023Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2022Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 6 fish
2011Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rock bassGood numbers0.9per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 14 fish
2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2022Lengths measured · 8 fish
2017Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2011Only 4 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 Louise through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 10 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.
- 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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 35" | 20" | 27" |
| 2022 | 23" | 11" | — |
| 2017 | 30" | 18" | 25" |
| 2011 | 36" | 17" | 20" |
| 2006 | 31" | 16" | 25" |
| 2002 | 33" | 13" | 25" |
| 1996 | 29" | 13" | 25" |
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:
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
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
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 | 12 fingerlings · 92 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 2,783 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 784 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 58 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Lake Louise is a small (215 acres), moderately developed basin located northwest of Alexandria in Douglas County. Water quality and clarity are good and the lake supports an abundant and diverse aquatic plant community. Habitat attributes are characteristic of a bass-panfish lake. Lake Louise is connected to Lake Charley to the north and North Union Lake to the south. Navigation on the channel between these basins is limited. A small public access is located along the northwest shoreline. Shore anglers enjoy fishing off the northeast shoreline along Sunset Strip NW and the inlet channel from Lake Charley.
The fish community in Lake Louise is similar to many bass-panfish lakes found in west-central Minnesota. The lake supports abundant populations of Bluegills, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. At elevated population densities, these populations tend to have high proportions of small- and medium-sized fish. A majority of the Bluegill caught during the survey were 4.0 to 7.0 inches in length. A few 8.0 inch fish were measured during the 2023 survey. Largemouth Bass averaged 11.8 inches in length, but fish up 20.0 inches were observed. Northern Pike averaged 21.1 inches. The largest pike measured 35.0 inches, but most pike were less than 22.0 inches. Anglers are encouraged to harvest these surplus small gamefishes. Starting in May 2018, new Northern Pike regulations now allow harvest of more small pike. Lake Louise falls within the north-central pike zone and anglers are able to harvest up to ten Northern Pike less than 22.0 inches in length. Black Crappie and Walleye are present but survey catches are limited and population densities appear to be low. The few Walleyes that were caught ranged from 15.0 to 20.0 inches. The few crappies that were sampled ranged from 8.6 to 11.8 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Lake Louise was designated as an infested water after the discovery of zebra mussels in 2015. Recreational users should take necessary precautions to prevent the further spread of invasive species. Drain all water and remove all aquatic vegetation from your boat and trailer when leaving any body of water.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lake Louise fishing reports
Recent reports on Lake Louise 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
- Louise Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Lake Louise depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- North Union Lake · 118 ac · 1.2 mi
- Lake Darling · 1,050 ac · 1.2 mi
- Lake Stony · 87 ac · 1.5 mi
- Lake Brophy · 297 ac · 1.9 mi
- Lake Cowdrey · 243 ac · 2 mi
- Lottie Lake · 46 ac · 2 mi
- Lake Henry · 152 ac · 2.7 mi
- Lake Agnes · 138 ac · 3.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lake Louise?
Lake Louise reaches 33 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 18 ft; about 46% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lake Louise?
Lake Louise covers 215 acres with about 2.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lake Louise?
DNR Secchi readings on Lake Louise average 10 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lake Louise?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lake Louise stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2018.
Does Lake Louise have a public access?
Yes. Lake Louise has one public access site: Louise Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Lake Louise?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 35"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Lake Louise last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lake Louise in 2023, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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