Minnesota · Becker County
Little Floyd Lake Fishing guide
Little Floyd Lake covers 215 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 34 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9.1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.7per gill net20"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2021Lengths measured · 34 fish
2016Lengths measured · 54 fish
2011Lengths measured · 15 fish
2006Largemouth bassPresent1.5per gill net14"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 13 fish
2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2016Lengths measured · 16 fish
2011Lengths measured · 31 fish
2006Northern pikeOne of the best around30.5per gill net20"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 186 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 186 fish
2021Lengths measured · 164 fish
2016Lengths measured · 137 fish
2011Lengths measured · 156 fish
2006BluegillJust a few16.7per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 247 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 247 fish
2021Lengths measured · 533 fish
2016Lengths measured · 485 fish
2011Lengths measured · 788 fish
2006CrappieJust a few0.7per trap net9"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2021Lengths measured · 6 fish
2016Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 16 fish
2011Lengths measured · 20 fish
2006Yellow perchFair numbers2.3per gill net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2021Lengths measured · 5 fish
2016Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 71 fish
2011Lengths measured · 52 fish
2006No 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 Little Floyd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 35" | 24" | 17" |
| 2016 | 30" | 23" | 18" |
| 2011 | 33" | 27" | 16" |
| 2006 | 29" | 23" | 15" |
| 2001 | 28" | 22" | 14" |
| 1996 | 33" | 26" | 17" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 | 95,000 fry · 1,598 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 95,277 fry · 1,425 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 95,000 fry · 1,386 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 95,000 fry · 1,694 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 95,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 95,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 95,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 95,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 145,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Little Floyd Lake is a 215-acre lake located in southwestern Becker County just north of the city of Detroit Lakes. The lake possesses a heavily developed shoreline and receives heavy recreational use and fishing pressure from the surrounding area. Zebra mussels were discovered in Big Floyd Lake, upstream of Little Floyd Lake, in 2018. Little Floyd Lake provides angling opportunity for Northern Pike, Walleye, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Black Crappie. A standard fisheries survey was completed on Little Floyd Lake in June 2021.
Walleye fry are stocked into Little Floyd Lake annually at a rate of 1,000 fry per littoral acre. Despite stocking, the catch rate of Walleye in 2021 was only two Walleye per gill net. Walleye sampled in 2021 ranged in length from 15.1 to 24.6 inches, averaging 19.6 inches long.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike are abundant in Little Floyd Lake. During the 2021 survey a record high catch rate of roughly 31 pike per gill net was observed. Beginning in 2003, a special regulation (all pike from 24 to 36 inches must be released, daily limit 3, only one pike over 36 inches allowed) was put in place with the goal of improving size structure of pike in the lake. Pike sampled in 2021 ranged in length from 11.6 to 35.3 inches, averaging 20.4 inches long.
Catch rates of Bluegill in Little Floyd Lake were relatively high between 1996 and 2006, and have since declined. Catch rates dropped from 49 fish per trap net in 2011 to approximately 17 fish per trap net in 2021. Bluegill sampled in trap nets ranged in length from 3.2 to 8.2 inches, averaging 5.4 inches long. Approximately 1% of Bluegill in trap nets were eight inches or longer. Age structures show that Bluegill do not reach eight inches until they are about nine years old.
Few Black Crappie have been sampled during fisheries surveys in Little Floyd Lake. In 2021, a total of 15 crappie were sampled in combined gears ranging in length from 5.1 to 10.8 inches. Four Largemouth Bass were caught in trap nets, ranging in length from 13.2 to 17.2 inches in length.
The average catch rate of Yellow Perch in 2021 was about two perch per net, slightly higher than the previous survey (2016). Sampled perch ranged in length from 5.0 to 5.9 inches, averaging 5.5 inches long. Additional species sampled in 2021 included Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, hybrid sunfish, and White Sucker. Although documented in previous surveys, no Cisco were caught during the 2021 survey.
Anglers can help maintain and improve Little Floyd Lake's fishery by practicing selective harvest of fish, as well as taking precautions to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Shoreline owners can help to improve water quality and fish habit in the lake by maintaining shoreline buffer zones and leaving native aquatic vegetation stands intact.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Little Floyd Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Little Floyd 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 Floyd Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Little Floyd Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Floyd Lake · 1,178 ac · 1 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 361 ac · 4.8 mi
- Long Lake · 415 ac · 5 mi
- Rock Lake · 1,196 ac · 5.1 mi
- Detroit Lake · 3,067 ac · 5.9 mi
- Perch Lake · 48 ac · 6.2 mi
- Rice Lake · 231 ac · 6.2 mi
- Cotton Lake · 1,763 ac · 6.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Little Floyd Lake?
Little Floyd Lake reaches 34 ft at its deepest point; about 44% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Little Floyd Lake?
Little Floyd Lake covers 215 acres with about 2.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Little Floyd Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Little Floyd Lake average 9.1 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Little Floyd Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Little Floyd Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Little Floyd Lake have a public access?
Yes. Little Floyd Lake has one public access site: Little Floyd Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Little Floyd Lake?
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 Little Floyd Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Little Floyd Lake in 2021, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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