Minnesota · Cass County
Loon Lake Fishing guide
Loon Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 232 acres, reaching 25 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2017, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 9 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers34.1per hr (electrofishing)8"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 51 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 51 fish
2017Lengths measured · 1 fish
1994Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers12.7per gill net18"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 56 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 56 fish
2017Lengths measured · 27 fish
1994BluegillGood numbers69.7per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 629 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 629 fish
2017Lengths measured · 46 fish
1994CrappieJust a few5.9per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 54 fish
Recent · 2017Lengths measured · 54 fish
2017Lengths measured · 2 fish
1994Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No 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 Loon Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 14 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. With 93% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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. At 14 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. With 93% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 32" | 24" | 19" |
| 1994 | 23" | 17" | 3" |
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 · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | 200,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 200,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 216,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2017 survey
Loon is a 237 acre lake located two miles southwest of Pequot Lakes in Cass County. Loon is fairly shallow with 91% 15' deep or less. One small hole reaches 25' in depth. During winter months the lake association operates an aerator to try to keep the fish community alive. Winter travelers will need to use extra caution around the open hole, and obey thin ice signs. A public access is located in the southeastern corner of the lake. Water clarity is good, with a secchi disk reading of 14'.
Northern pike were sampled in high numbers when compared to similar lakes at 12.7/gillnet. Northern pike ranged from 13.4"-32.9" in length. Average length was 22.3", with 39% at least 24" in length. Catch and release of these larger fish will help keep a balanced northern pike population. New northern pike regulations effective March 1st, 2018 include a possession limit of 10 fish. Only 2 may be over 26" and all fish between 22"-26" must be immediately released. The intent of the regulation is to improve the harvest opportunity for pike and improve the fish community composition.
Read the full DNR narrative
Panfish anglers should have a good time on Loon. Bluegills were sampled in high numbers when compared to similar lakes at 69.7/trapnet. Size was nice too, with an average length of 7.0". Black crappies were sampled in low numbers in gillnet at 0.3/net, and average numbers in trapnets at 5.9/net. For both gears combined 83% were at least 8" in length.
Largemouth bass were sampled by a spring nighttime electrofishing survey at a rate of 33.6/hr run time. Most bass ran on the smaller side with an average length of 10.1". Largemouth over 12" made up 30% of the catch.
Walleyes are occasionally stocked into Loon, and were sampled in low numbers when compared to similar lakes. The few walleyes sampled were nice, with an average length of 23.0".
No invasive species have been discovered in Loon Lake, but they are located in the area. Lake users are required to inspect and remove any aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and trailers, as well as pull the plug and drain all water from the watercraft, including bilges, livewells and baitwells.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Loon Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Loon 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
- Loon Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Loon Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Mayo Lake · 164 ac · 2.2 mi
- Sibley Lake · 444 ac · 2.4 mi
- West Twin Lake · 128 ac · 3.3 mi
- East Twin Lake · 163 ac · 3.4 mi
- Fawn Lake · 64 ac · 3.5 mi
- Upper Gull Lake · 422 ac · 3.8 mi
- Edna Lake · 156 ac · 3.9 mi
- Ray Lake · 143 ac · 4.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Loon Lake?
Loon Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point; about 93% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Loon Lake?
Loon Lake covers 232 acres with about 2.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Loon Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Loon Lake average 14 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Loon Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2017) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Loon Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2023; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2019.
Does Loon Lake have a public access?
Yes. Loon Lake has one public access site: Loon Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Loon Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 32"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Loon Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Loon Lake in 2017, the most recent of 5 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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