Minnesota · Hubbard County
Lower Bottle Lake Fishing guide
Lower Bottle Lake covers 641 acres in Hubbard County, Minnesota, reaching 110 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 15.1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2018Excellent numbers11.4per gill net13"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 124 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 124 fish
2023Lengths measured · 134 fish
2018Lengths measured · 225 fish
2013Lengths measured · 136 fish
2008No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeGood numbers10per gill net22"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 82 fish
2023Lengths measured · 93 fish
2018Lengths measured · 69 fish
2013Lengths measured · 69 fish
2008Last recorded in the 2013 survey and not seen since.
BluegillJust a few10.2per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 124 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 124 fish
2023Lengths measured · 71 fish
2018Lengths measured · 42 fish
2013Lengths measured · 120 fish
2008Yellow perchFair numbers3.5per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 32 fish
2023Lengths measured · 28 fish
2018Lengths measured · 160 fish
2013Lengths measured · 182 fish
2008Rock bassOne of the best around4.9per trap net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 106 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 106 fish
2023Lengths measured · 17 fish
2018Lengths measured · 30 fish
2013Lengths measured · 101 fish
2008Rates 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 Lower Bottle Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 15.1 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 110 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 15.1 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. On a lake that drops to 110 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 22" | 34" | 7" |
| 2018 | 24" | 38" | 17" |
| 2013 | 25" | 32" | 9" |
| 2008 | 27" | 32" | 17" |
| 2003 | 25" | 29" | 19" |
| 1998 | 26" | 32" | 12" |
| 1993 | 24" | 32" | 18" |
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
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
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Walleye | 6,462 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 11,916 fingerlings · 2 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Lower Bottle Lake is located four miles north of Dorset in southern Hubbard County. Lower Bottle is separated by a narrows from Upper Bottle, both lakes having similar fish communities and are generally managed together. Lower Bottle has a surface area of 641 acres and a maximum depth of 110 feet. A state-owned public access is located on the north shore of Upper Bottle Lake, and navigation is through the channel between the lakes. Boating access is also available by small boats through the shallow river connecting to Emma Lake to the south. Lower Bottle provides multi species opportunities to the angler, with good populations of Walleye, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, and panfish.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Lower Bottle is in lake class 22. Class 22 lakes are generally very large, very deep, hard water lakes, with very irregularly shaped shorelines, and a low littoral zone (lake area less than 15 feet deep). Other class 22 lakes in the Park Rapids management area include Big Sand, Kabekona, Long, and Potato.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye abundance remained strong in Lower Bottle with gill net catch rates similar to past surveys. Sampled Walleye ranged in length from 8.2 to 22.8 inches with an average length of 14.1 inches. Good numbers of smaller Walleye (8-12 inches) were sampled.
Yellow Perch, an important forage species for Walleye, were sampled in low numbers. Yellow Perch were small in size with fish measured up to 7.1 inches.
Anglers can expect to find an abundant Northern Pike population in Lower Bottle. Northern Pike had an average length and weight of 22.2 inches and 2.6 pounds with fish measured up to 34.2 inches.
While not know as a bass - panfish lake, Lower Bottle does provide angling opportunities for Black Crappie, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass. Present and past surveys have shown the population of these species to fluctuate from low to moderate numbers.
Other species sampled included high numbers of Rock Bass and White Sucker and low numbers of Brown Bullhead and Yellow Bullhead.
Faucet snails, an aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Lower Bottle. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lower Bottle Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Lower Bottle 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
- DNR access: Upper Bottle
DNR bathymetry
Lower Bottle Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Emma Lake · 78 ac · 0.8 mi
- Stocking Lake · 102 ac · 1.3 mi
- Upper Bottle Lake · 459 ac · 1.5 mi
- Ojibway Lake · 184 ac · 1.6 mi
- Gilmore Lake · 93 ac · 1.8 mi
- Dead Lake · 131 ac · 2 mi
- Big Sand Lake · 1,639 ac · 2.2 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 310 ac · 2.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lower Bottle Lake?
Lower Bottle Lake reaches 110 ft at its deepest point; about 49% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lower Bottle Lake?
Lower Bottle Lake covers 641 acres with about 6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lower Bottle Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Lower Bottle Lake average 15.1 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lower Bottle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lower Bottle Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2018; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Lower Bottle Lake have a public access?
Yes. Lower Bottle Lake has one public access site: DNR access (Upper Bottle).
How big do walleye get in Lower Bottle 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 1993.
When was Lower Bottle Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lower Bottle Lake in 2023, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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