Minnesota · Itasca County
Little Jessie Lake Fishing guide
Little Jessie Lake is a 628-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota, reaching 50 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 11 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers6.3per gill net17"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 79 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 79 fish
2019Lengths measured · 68 fish
2010Lengths measured · 110 fish
2004Lengths measured · 103 fish
1996Northern pikeJust a few1.7per gill net23"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 20 fish
2019Lengths measured · 31 fish
2010Lengths measured · 72 fish
2004Lengths measured · 35 fish
1996BluegillJust a few3.2per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 38 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 38 fish
2019Lengths measured · 705 fish
2010Lengths measured · 260 fish
2004Lengths measured · 29 fish
1996No recent survey rating.
Yellow perchFair numbers3.3per gill net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 65 fish
2019Lengths measured · 222 fish
2010Lengths measured · 201 fish
2004Lengths measured · 561 fish
1996Rock bassGood numbers1.4per trap net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 37 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 37 fish
2019Lengths measured · 81 fish
2010Lengths measured · 65 fish
2004Lengths measured · 112 fish
1996Rates 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 Jessie Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. At 11 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. 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 | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 25" | 16" | 19" |
| 2010 | 25" | 16" | 16" |
| 2004 | 26" | 17" | 17" |
| 1996 | 24" | 13" | 16" |
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 | 4,417 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 4,429 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 6,180 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 13,246 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 12,360 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
Little Jessie Lake is in ecological lake class 27 and is located near Deer River, MN, in the Chippewa National Forest and Big Fork River Watershed. The lake is 637 acres and has a maximum depth of 50 feet. A survey targeting nearshore fish species was conducted by Area fisheries staff beginning on 3 July, 2019. Fourteen sampling sites (100 feet long) were evenly spaced around the lake shore, sampling a variety of habitat types. Each site is sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-ft or 15-ft 1/8th inch mesh seine, depending on habitat condition.
Shoreline seining was conducted at 12 sites: 9 with the 15-ft seine and 3 with the 50-ft seine. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sites. Nearshore sampling captured 10 different species: 8 species by seining and 9 species by backpack electrofishing. The species can be found in the gear-specific catch tables in this report.
Read the full DNR narrative
Nearshore catches will be used with the gill net and trap net data from the standard survey conducted on 29 July, 2019, to calculate a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) score which is indicative of lake health. The surveys will assist the watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Little Jessie Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Little Jessie 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 Jessie Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Little Jessie Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Jessie Lake · 1,740 ac · 2.1 mi
- Bowstring Lake · 9,528 ac · 4.2 mi
- Little Turtle Lake · 492 ac · 4.5 mi
- Peterson Lake · 163 ac · 6.1 mi
- Little Bowstring Lake · 327 ac · 6.1 mi
- Big Too Much Lake · 292 ac · 6.5 mi
- Turtle Lake · 2,126 ac · 7 mi
- Dead Horse Lake · 105 ac · 7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Little Jessie Lake?
Little Jessie Lake reaches 50 ft at its deepest point; about 33% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Little Jessie Lake?
Little Jessie Lake covers 628 acres with about 4.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Little Jessie Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Little Jessie Lake average 11 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Little Jessie Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Little Jessie Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Little Jessie Lake have a public access?
Yes. Little Jessie Lake has one public access site: Little Jessie Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Little Jessie Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Little Jessie Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Little Jessie Lake in 2019, the most recent of 10 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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