Minnesota · Itasca County
Little Whitefish Lake Fishing guide
Little Whitefish Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 160 acres, reaching 15 ft at its deepest point. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 1 time, most recently in 1975, with yellow perch in the nets. That survey is 51 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
The DNR last surveyed Little Whitefish Lake in 1975. Ratings need a survey from the last 20 years, so this page lists the species from that older record without numbers.
- Yellow perch
How to fish yellow perch on Little Whitefish Lake through the year
- Spring
- Perch are draping eggs over flooded cover and weed stems on the shallow flats.
- 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 99% 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 15-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.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Slip Bobber + Leech
jumbo or large leech
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 1975 survey
Fish species and abundance are indicative of a periodic winterkill lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Little Whitefish Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Little Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Little Whitefish Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Whitefish Lake · 564 ac · 1.5 mi
- Cedar Lake · 178 ac · 2.1 mi
- Little Sand Lake · 353 ac · 2.4 mi
- Rice Lake · 791 ac · 2.8 mi
- Rush Island Lake · 297 ac · 3.4 mi
- Sand Lake · 3,579 ac · 3.9 mi
- Bird's Eye Lake · 80 ac · 4.3 mi
- Dora Lake · 423 ac · 5.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Little Whitefish Lake?
Little Whitefish Lake reaches 15 ft at its deepest point; about 99% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Little Whitefish Lake?
Little Whitefish Lake covers 160 acres with about 2.3 miles of shoreline.
What fish are in Little Whitefish Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 1975) record yellow perch.
Is Little Whitefish Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Little Whitefish Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Little Whitefish Lake have a public access?
Yes. Little Whitefish Lake has one public access site: Little Whitefish Lake (carry-in).
When was Little Whitefish Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Little Whitefish Lake in 1975. That is more than 20 years ago, so this page lists species without ratings.
Page updated .
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