Minnesota · Jackson County
Little Spirit Lake Fishing guide
Little Spirit Lake sits in Jackson County, Minnesota, and covers 624 acres, reaching 8 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.7per gill net15"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 24 fish
2024Lengths measured · 17 fish
2024Lengths measured · 58 fish
2020Lengths measured · 8 fish
2017Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No recent survey rating.
No recent survey rating.
Last recorded in the 2020 survey and not seen since.
CrappieJust a few7.1per trap net7"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 146 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 146 fish
2024Lengths measured · 134 fish
2020Lengths measured · 11 fish
2016Lengths measured · 75 fish
2012Yellow perchExcellent numbers13.3per gill net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 40 fish
2024Lengths measured · 11 fish
2020Lengths measured · 43 fish
2016Lengths measured · 153 fish
2008Channel catfishExcellent numbers6per gill net25"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 18 fish
2024Lengths measured · 30 fish
2020Lengths measured · 6 fish
2012Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 9 fish
2004Only 9 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 Little Spirit Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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. With 67% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 8-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Yellow perch
- Spring
- Perch are draping eggs over flooded cover and weed stems on the shallow flats. In 2.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Perch are spread over sand-grass flats and the first weed edges in loose packs.
- Summer
- Perch are over deeper soft-bottom flats and the basin, on the bottom and in schools. With 67% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Perch are roaming the mid-depth flats in loose schools, chasing young-of-year bait while it is still shallow. A 8-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Yellow perch | Channel catfish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22" | 11" | 29" |
| 2020 | 26" | 10" | 27" |
| 2017 | 7" | — | — |
| 2016 | 26" | 10" | — |
| 2012 | 22" | — | 29" |
| 2008 | 20" | 10" | — |
| 2004 | 16" | 11" | 16" |
| 2001 | 28" | 10" | 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:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Channel catfish · Live bait
Bullhead Bottom Rig
nightcrawler chunk or whole 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 | 320,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 320,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Little Spirit Lake is a 643-acre, class 42 lake located on the Minnesota-Iowa border in Jackson County. Little Spirit Lake has a history of experiencing varying levels of partial winterkill and summer kill conditions due to low dissolved oxygen in the winter and severe algae blooms in the summer. Thus, Little Spirit Lake is aerated by the Jackson County Conservation League to reduce winterkill frequency and/or severity. In terms of invasive species, Little Spirit Lake is on the frontline, as Bighead and Silver Carp were sampled in Big Spirit Lake, which is hydrologically connected to Little Spirit Lake. Additionally, Zebra Mussels are established in East and West Lake Okoboji, which are connected downstream to Big and Little Spirit Lakes. Little Spirit Lake is managed primarily for Walleye and secondarily for Black Crappie and Yellow Perch. Night electrofishing was conducted on October 9, 2024 to determine if stocking by Iowa DNR in Big Spirit Lake is adequate to maintain Walleye numbers in Little Spirit Lake.
Young-of-the year Walleye were captured at a rate of 47.9 per hour electrofishing, which indicates that stocking in Big Spirit Lake by Iowa DNR does create a presence of Walleye in Little Spirit Lake. The age-0 Walleyes ranged in length from 6.1 to 7.6 inches and averaged 6.8 inches in the sample. Little Spirit Lake is connected to Big Spirit Lake in Iowa, which allows passage by small fish, so Walleye fry or fingerlings did migrate from Big Spirit Lake. However, there may be some need to stock additional Walleye fry directly into Little Spirit Lake from the Lake Sarah Egg take operation (Lower Mississippi Strain Walleye) because the management goal of 10.0 Walleye per gill net was not met during gill netting in 2024. Future monitoring of the Walleye population with fall night electrofishing and summer gillnetting will be continued.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Little Spirit Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Little Spirit 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 Spirit Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Little Spirit Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Pearl Lake · 117 ac · 1.6 mi
- Rush Lake · 243 ac · 2.2 mi
- Loon Lake · 708 ac · 2.5 mi
- Clear Lake · 434 ac · 8.5 mi
- Heron (South Heron) Lake · 2,641 ac · 15.6 mi
- Round Lake · 930 ac · 16 mi
- Flahtery Lake · 457 ac · 16.8 mi
- Independence Lake · 99 ac · 18.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Little Spirit Lake?
Little Spirit Lake reaches 8 ft at its deepest point; about 67% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Little Spirit Lake?
Little Spirit Lake covers 624 acres with about 10.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Little Spirit Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Little Spirit Lake average 2.5 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Little Spirit Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, white bass.
Is Little Spirit Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Little Spirit Lake have a public access?
Yes. Little Spirit Lake has one public access site: Little Spirit Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Little Spirit Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 22"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2001.
When was Little Spirit Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Little Spirit Lake in 2024, the most recent of 14 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 Little Spirit Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Little Spirit Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report