Minnesota · Wright County
Louisa Lake Fishing guide
Louisa Lake sits in Wright County, Minnesota, and covers 193 acres, reaching 44 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.8 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 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 numbers1.2per gill net22"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 23 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019 + 2020Lengths measured · 6 fish
2020Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 9 fish
2019Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2014Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2005Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Largemouth bassFair numbers45.4per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 223 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019 + 2020Lengths measured · 2 fish
2020Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 123 fish
2019Lengths measured · 98 fish
2014Lengths measured · 87 fish
2005Northern pikeFair numbers6.4per gill net24"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 93 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019 + 2020Lengths measured · 11 fish
2020Lengths measured · 41 fish
2019Lengths measured · 41 fish
2014Lengths measured · 51 fish
2005BluegillJust a few21.1per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 604 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019 + 2020Lengths measured · 147 fish
2020Lengths measured · 312 fish
2019Lengths measured · 145 fish
2014Lengths measured · 269 fish
2005CrappieJust a few4.3per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 126 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019 + 2020Lengths measured · 53 fish
2020Lengths measured · 57 fish
2019Lengths measured · 16 fish
2014Lengths measured · 29 fish
2005Yellow perchFair numbers3.5per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2014 + 2019 + 2020Lengths measured · 4 fish
2020Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 50 fish
2019Lengths measured · 3 fish
2014Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 28 fish
2005Rates 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 Louisa Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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 44 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.
- 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 44 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 | 26" | 14" | 31" |
| 2019 | 27" | 21" | 37" |
| 2014 | 29" | 19" | 36" |
| 2005 | 24" | 20" | 36" |
| 1997 | 24" | 18" | 32" |
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 | 200,000 fry · 2,970 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2020 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Louisa Lake was conducted beginning on July 20th, 2020 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations, but three stations were sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample six stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at four stations. Nearshore sampling captured 16 species of fish including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish and Iowa Darter) and two that are tolerant of disturbance (Common Carp and Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted July 20th-22nd, 2020 by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill and Black Crappie comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number, and White Sucker and Northern Pike comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill and Black Crappie sampled per net was above the between the 25th and 50th quartile for similar Lake Class 24 lakes. The number of Common Carp sampled per net was below the 25% quartile for Lake Class 24 lakes. The mean weight of White Suckers caught were all above the 75% quartile for Lake Class 24 lakes.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2019 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g. Banded Killifish, Iowa Darters, Mimic Shiners), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g. Green Sunfish, Fathead Minnows, and Common Carp). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Data from this survey provides evidence that the fish community in Louisa Lake is adversely impacted by stressors as indicated by an FIBI score below the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Mississippi River - St. Cloud Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Louisa Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Louisa 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
- County access: Access from Lake Marie via navigable section of the Clearwater River. The access on Lake Marie is located in the County Park on the northeast end.
DNR bathymetry
Louisa Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Marie Lake · 146 ac · 1.5 mi
- School Section Lake · 211 ac · 2.1 mi
- Betty Lake · 154 ac · 2.5 mi
- Caroline Lake · 137 ac · 2.9 mi
- Union Lake · 93 ac · 3.6 mi
- Augusta Lake · 187 ac · 4.1 mi
- West Lake Sylvia · 904 ac · 4.3 mi
- Carnelian Lake · 180 ac · 4.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Louisa Lake?
Louisa Lake reaches 44 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10.5 ft; about 63% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Louisa Lake?
Louisa Lake covers 193 acres with about 4.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Louisa Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Louisa Lake average 7.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Louisa Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2020) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Louisa Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024.
Does Louisa Lake have a public access?
Yes. Louisa Lake has one public access site: County access (Access from Lake Marie via navigable section of the Clearwater River. The access on Lake Marie is located in the County Park on the northeast end.).
How big do walleye get in Louisa Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Louisa Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Louisa Lake in 2020, the most recent of 11 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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