Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Lower Mission Lake Fishing guide
Lower Mission Lake covers 732 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 27 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 12 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers1.4per gill net21"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2022Lengths measured · 15 fish
2014Lengths measured · 18 fish
2007Lengths measured · 25 fish
2004Largemouth bassFair numbers41.9per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 67 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 67 fish
2022Lengths measured · 55 fish
2014Lengths measured · 210 fish
2007Lengths measured · 335 fish
2004Northern pikeOne of the best around16.2per gill net20"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 200 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 200 fish
2022Lengths measured · 210 fish
2014Lengths measured · 190 fish
2007Lengths measured · 485 fish
2004BluegillJust a few25.3per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 358 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 358 fish
2022Lengths measured · 321 fish
2014Lengths measured · 798 fish
2007Lengths measured · 413 fish
2004CrappieJust a few0.3per trap net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 13 fish
2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2014Lengths measured · 17 fish
2007Lengths measured · 51 fish
2004Yellow perchGood numbers8.1per gill net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 97 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 97 fish
2022Lengths measured · 83 fish
2014Lengths measured · 160 fish
2007Lengths measured · 32 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 Lower Mission Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12 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 62% 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 12 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 62% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 38" | 25" | 19" |
| 2014 | 35" | 27" | 19" |
| 2007 | 39" | 25" | 18" |
| 2004 | 37" | 27" | 18" |
| 1999 | 28" | 26" | 20" |
| 1994 | 32" | 26" | 19" |
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 · 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
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 · 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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Lower Mission Lake is a 732 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 27', located just east of the town of Ossipee, MN. Lower Mission is in the Mississippi River-Brainerd Watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Fourteen 100' long sampling stations were evenly spaced around the lakeshore. Each station was then sampled by backpack electrofishing, and if conditions allowed with a 15' or 50' 1/8th inch seine.
The survey took place July 27-28, 2022, with all 14 stations sampled by backpack electrofishing. The 50' 1/8th inch seine was used at 2 stations and the 15' 1/8th inch seine was used at 6 stations. Twenty species were sampled, including six species that are intolerant of habitat disturbance: Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Pugnose shiner, Iowa Darter, Banded Killifish, and Rock Bass. This nearshore survey will be used along with the gill net and trap net survey conducted the week of June 6th, 2022, to calculate a Fish-Based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health by the types of fish species present and comparing it to what is expected for this type of lake.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lower Mission Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Lower Mission 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
- Lower Mission Lake (W) (trailer launch)
- Lower Mission Lake (SE) (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Lower Mission Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Bass Lake · 285 ac · 1.7 mi
- Upper Mission Lake · 882 ac · 1.8 mi
- Bonnie Lake · 76 ac · 2 mi
- Silver Lake · 208 ac · 2.2 mi
- Black Bear Lake · 218 ac · 2.5 mi
- Lougee Lake · 212 ac · 2.5 mi
- Fawn Lake · 121 ac · 3.2 mi
- Edward Lake · 2,628 ac · 3.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lower Mission Lake?
Lower Mission Lake reaches 27 ft at its deepest point; about 62% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lower Mission Lake?
Lower Mission Lake covers 732 acres with about 6.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lower Mission Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Lower Mission Lake average 12 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lower Mission Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lower Mission Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Lower Mission Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Lower Mission Lake have a public access?
Yes. Lower Mission Lake has 2 public access sites, including Lower Mission Lake (W) (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Lower Mission Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 38"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Lower Mission Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lower Mission Lake in 2022, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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