Minnesota · Becker County
Little Cormorant Lake Fishing guide
Little Cormorant Lake covers 1,067 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 34 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9.4 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.2per gill net18"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2022Lengths measured · 8 fish
2017Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 25 fish
2012Lengths measured · 57 fish
2007Largemouth bassJust a few4per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 47 fish
2022Lengths measured · 24 fish
2017Lengths measured · 37 fish
2012Lengths measured · 2 fish
2007Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeOne of the best around18.9per gill net20"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 180 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 180 fish
2022Lengths measured · 125 fish
2017Lengths measured · 99 fish
2012Lengths measured · 226 fish
2007BluegillFair numbers35.5per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 971 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 971 fish
2022Lengths measured · 1249 fish
2017Lengths measured · 330 fish
2012Lengths measured · 698 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.8per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 16 fish
2022Lengths measured · 14 fish
2017Lengths measured · 29 fish
2012Lengths measured · 26 fish
2007Yellow perchFair numbers2.3per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 23 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 23 fish
2022Lengths measured · 264 fish
2017Lengths measured · 264 fish
2012Lengths measured · 222 fish
2007Rates 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 Little Cormorant Lake through the year
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.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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.
- 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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 31" | 26" | 19" |
| 2017 | 32" | 28" | 18" |
| 2012 | 30" | 29" | 19" |
| 2007 | 35" | 24" | 8" |
| 2002 | 39" | 28" | 13" |
| 1997 | 30" | 26" | 13" |
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
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
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 | 619,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 619,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 619,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 619,000 fry · 5,000 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 619,000 fry |
| 2020 | Walleye | 1,998 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 619,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 619,000 fry · 1,665 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 619,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Little Cormorant Lake on June 10th, 2025, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 91 survey sites evenly spaced 400 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline Zone (the shore-water interface to the top of the natural bank), Shoreland Zone (land-ward from shoreline to development structure or 100 feet), and Aquatic Zone (lake-ward 50 feet of shoreline). The average lakewide habitat score was 77.2 (+/- 2.2) out of 100 possible. A score of 77.2 indicates the lakewide shoreline condition is Moderate (70-79.9). There was a large difference in habitat quality between developed and undeveloped sites, with developed sites having poor shoreline habitat quality. Approximately 55 percent of the sites were developed with a mean score of 65.0 (+/- 2.9) indicating shoreline habitat quality of developed sites is Poor (50-65.9), while undeveloped sites had a mean score of 92.2 (+/- 1.0) with Excellent (92+) habitat quality.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Little Cormorant Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Little Cormorant Lake 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
- Little Cormorant Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Little Cormorant Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Leif Lake · 521 ac · 1.6 mi
- Marshall Lake · 191 ac · 2.3 mi
- Big Cormorant Lake · 3,657 ac · 3.8 mi
- Pearl Lake · 280 ac · 4.3 mi
- Boyer Lake · 438 ac · 4.3 mi
- Maud Lake · 517 ac · 4.4 mi
- Stakke Lake · 497 ac · 4.7 mi
- Eunice Lake · 378 ac · 5.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Little Cormorant Lake?
Little Cormorant Lake reaches 34 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 17 ft; about 58% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Little Cormorant Lake?
Little Cormorant Lake covers 1,067 acres with about 24.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Little Cormorant Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Little Cormorant Lake average 9.4 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Little Cormorant Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Little Cormorant Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Little Cormorant Lake have a public access?
Yes. Little Cormorant Lake has one public access site: Little Cormorant Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Little Cormorant Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 31"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Little Cormorant Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Little Cormorant Lake in 2025, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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