Minnesota · St. Louis County
Loon Lake Fishing guide
Loon Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 271 acres, reaching 85 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 17.7 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2020, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 6 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers1.9per gill net19"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 31 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 15 fish
2020Lengths measured · 16 fish
2014Lengths measured · 7 fish
2009Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2004Largemouth bassPresent0.4per gill net9"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 6 fish
2020Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2014Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2009Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2004Northern pikeJust a few3.5per gill net20"Typical40"Biggest
Lengths measured · 56 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 31 fish
2020Lengths measured · 25 fish
2014Lengths measured · 40 fish
2009Lengths measured · 40 fish
2004BluegillJust a few20.9per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 437 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 213 fish
2020Lengths measured · 224 fish
2014Lengths measured · 514 fish
2009Lengths measured · 277 fish
2004CrappieJust a few2.8per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 61 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 25 fish
2020Lengths measured · 36 fish
2014Lengths measured · 38 fish
2009Lengths measured · 43 fish
2004Yellow perchFair numbers3.3per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 33 fish
2020Lengths measured · 8 fish
2014Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 48 fish
2009Lengths measured · 7 fish
2004Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rock bassExcellent numbers1.7per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2020Lengths measured · 12 fish
2020Lengths measured · 18 fish
2014Lengths measured · 23 fish
2009Lengths measured · 24 fish
2004Rates 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
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 17.7 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 85 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 17.7 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 85 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 | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 27" | 15" | 36" |
| 2014 | 27" | 14" | 40" |
| 2009 | 22" | 13" | 30" |
| 2004 | 22" | 16" | 32" |
| 2000 | 25" | 15" | 31" |
| 1996 | 23" | 14" | 33" |
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
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,050 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,960 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 1,578 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,110 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,847 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2020 survey
Loon Lake is a 271 acre lake located nine miles south of Aurora. It is accessed by a ramp on the southwestern side of the east bay of the lake. The 5 lake has a maximum depth of 85 feet and clear water. On August 19, 2020 the lake was thermally stratified with a surface temperature of 72 F and a bottom temperature of 40 F. Oxygen levels were adequate for gamefish to a depth of 26 feet where the temperature was 53 degrees. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline are mostly gravel and sand with some muck in the bays. Vegetation can be fairly thick in some of the bays.
The overall gillnet catch rate for all fish combined was 18.2 fish/net which was below average compared to past surveys on Loon Lake. Yield was 16.9 lbs/net which was also below average. Fish species sampled were yellow perch, bluegill, northern pike, walleye, black crappie, white sucker, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, and yellow bullhead. Trap nets caught fish at an overall rate of 27.7 fish/net which was lower than the average of past surveys on Loon Lake. Yield was 8.6 lbs/net which was also below average. Additional species sampled in trap nets that weren't also sampled in gill nets were rock bass and pumpkinseed.
Read the full DNR narrative
Twelve walleye were sampled in gill nets for a catch rate of 2.0 fish/net, which was below average compared to other similar lakes but slightly higher than some of the recent surveys on Loon. Walleye lengths ranged from 10 to 23 inches with an average over 19 inches. This average length was good compared to past surveys on the lake. The average weight was nearly 3 pounds which was very good compared to other similar lakes. Growth rates were excellent with the average walleye measuring 15 inches at four years old. Fish were aged up to 12 years old. Walleye fingerlings are stocked in Loon every other year although there was one walleye of the 12 caught that did not come from a stocked year indicating at least a little natural reproduction.
The northern pike gillnet catch rate was 3.8 fish/net which was below average compared to past surveys but better than normal when compared against other similar lakes. Lengths ranged from 13 to nearly 37 inches with an average of just over 19 inches.
The black crappie trapnet catch was 2.2 fish/net which was better than average compared to other similar lakes and good compared to past surveys on Loon Lake. Lengths ranged from 5 to 10 inches with an average of 8.5 inches. Sizes were similar to crappies caught in past surveys.
The bluegill trapnet catch was 20.7 fish/net which was very good compared to other similar lakes, but slightly below average when compared to past catches on Loon Lake. Sizes ranged from 4 to over 8 inches with an average of 6 inches. Ages ranged from 4 to 10 years old with good representation from all year classes. Growth rates were slow with the average fish taking 8 years to reach 7 inches long.
Thirty-three yellow perch were sampled in gill nets for a catch rate of 5.5 fish/net. This was better than average compared to other similar lakes and good for Loon Lake. Lengths were similar to past surveys with a range from 5 to over 9 inches, and an average of nearly 7 inches.
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
- Frying Pan Lake · 69 ac · 2.7 mi
- Mud Hen Lake · 161 ac · 2.8 mi
- Coe Lake · 54 ac · 3.2 mi
- South Twin Lake · 118 ac · 4 mi
- North Twin Lake · 66 ac · 4.3 mi
- Bass Lake · 147 ac · 5.5 mi
- Silver Lake · 38 ac · 5.9 mi
- Lost Lake · 124 ac · 5.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Loon Lake?
Loon Lake reaches 85 ft at its deepest point; about 26% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Loon Lake?
Loon Lake covers 271 acres with about 4.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Loon Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Loon Lake average 17.7 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Loon Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2020) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Loon Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Loon Lake have a public access?
Yes. Loon Lake has one public access site: Loon Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Loon Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Loon Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Loon Lake in 2020, the most recent of 8 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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