Minnesota · St. Louis County
Lower Comstock Lake Fishing guide
Lower Comstock Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 160 acres, reaching 30 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 4 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 4 times, most recently in 2018, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 8 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.5per gill net18"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 15 fish
2018Lengths measured · 14 fish
2000Lengths measured · 10 fish
1995Northern pikeJust a few4per gill net19"Typical39"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 30 fish
2018Lengths measured · 15 fish
2000Lengths measured · 24 fish
1995BluegillJust a few8.8per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 82 fish
2018Lengths measured · 60 fish
2000Lengths measured · 52 fish
1995CrappieJust a few3.3per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 60 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 60 fish
2018Lengths measured · 47 fish
2000Lengths measured · 21 fish
1995Yellow perchGood numbers5.3per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 28 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 28 fish
2018Lengths measured · 72 fish
2000Lengths measured · 25 fish
1995No 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 Lower Comstock Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 4 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 76% 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 4 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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. With 76% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 21" | 13" | 39" |
| 2000 | 26" | 2" | 23" |
| 1995 | 27" | 3" | 38" |
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
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
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 | 121,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 121,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 121,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 121,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 121,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2018 survey
Lower Comstock is a 160 acre lake located about 6 miles south of Markham, MN. The lake is accessed through a DNR administered public access on Upper Comstock Lake, then navigating up the channel to Lower Comstock Lake. Maximum depth is 30 feet, with about 76% of the lake less than 15 feet deep. Lower Comstock was last assessed in 2000. Lower Comstock was surveyed during the summer of 2018 to update information about fish populations.
Lower Comstock is stocked with 121,000 Walleye fry every even year. Walleye abundance of 2.5 per gillnet lift is average compared to other similar Minnesota lakes. Average length was large at 18.0 inches. Ninety percent of the Walleye aged corresponded to stocked year-classes suggesting limited natural reproduction.
Read the full DNR narrative
Black Crappie and Bluegill population densities were average compared to other similar Minnesota lakes. Black Crappie average length was 7.0 inches, but angling success and size should improve in 2019 and beyond with strong 2015 and 2016 year-classes maturing. Quality Bluegill angling opportunities exist with nearly 25% of the trapnet sample exceeding 8 inches in length. Bluegill average length was 6.6 inches.
Northern Pike abundance of 4.0 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Average length from the gillnets was only 19.7 inches, but some large Northern Pike are present in Lower Comstock. The trapnets captured two large specimens that approached 40 inches in length.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lower Comstock Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Lower Comstock 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: Back in access located on Upper Comstock Lake; then up channel to Lower Comstock Lake.
DNR bathymetry
Lower Comstock Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Hart Lake · 49 ac · 0.9 mi
- Upper Comstock Lake · 267 ac · 1.2 mi
- Long Lake · 199 ac · 4.3 mi
- Schubert Lake · 212 ac · 4.5 mi
- Little Long Lake · 18 ac · 4.8 mi
- Cameron Lake · 168 ac · 5.5 mi
- Wilson Lake · 56 ac · 5.8 mi
- Dinham Lake · 202 ac · 7.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lower Comstock Lake?
Lower Comstock Lake reaches 30 ft at its deepest point; about 76% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lower Comstock Lake?
Lower Comstock Lake covers 160 acres with about 3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lower Comstock Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Lower Comstock Lake average 4 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lower Comstock Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2018) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lower Comstock Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Lower Comstock Lake have a public access?
Yes. Lower Comstock Lake has one public access site: DNR access (Back in access located on Upper Comstock Lake; then up channel to Lower Comstock Lake.).
How big do walleye get in Lower Comstock Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 21"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Lower Comstock Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lower Comstock Lake in 2018, the most recent of 4 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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