Minnesota · Carlton County
Lower (South) Island Lake Fishing guide
Lower (South) Island Lake covers 320 acres in Carlton County, Minnesota, reaching 22 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 8.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers1.7per gill net17"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2023Lengths measured · 17 fish
2013Lengths measured · 30 fish
2007Lengths measured · 17 fish
2002Largemouth bassJust a few9.7per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 22 fish
2023Lengths measured · 34 fish
2013Lengths measured · 21 fish
2007Lengths measured · 7 fish
2002Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers8.3per gill net19"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 77 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 15 fish
2024Lengths measured · 62 fish
2023Lengths measured · 60 fish
2013Lengths measured · 47 fish
2007BluegillJust a few13.4per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 276 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 96 fish
2024Lengths measured · 180 fish
2023Lengths measured · 222 fish
2013Lengths measured · 222 fish
2007CrappieJust a few1.2per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 14 fish
2024Lengths measured · 12 fish
2023Lengths measured · 30 fish
2013Lengths measured · 21 fish
2007Rates 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 (South) Island 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. With 65% 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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 65% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | 29" | — |
| 2023 | 21" | 33" | 16" |
| 2013 | 27" | 30" | 18" |
| 2007 | 24" | 34" | 16" |
| 2002 | 23" | 29" | 16" |
| 1994 | 24" | 27" | 5" |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | 420,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 420,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 420,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 420,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 420,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Lower (South) Island Lake was conducted on July 8th, 2024 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, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations, but one station was sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample three stations, a 15-foot seine was used at four stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at three stations. Nearshore sampling captured 14 species of fish including three species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Iowa Darter, Mottled Sculpin, and Rock Bass) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted on July 8th, 2024 by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill, Yellow Bullhead, and Pumpkinseed comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number, and Bowfin, Northern Pike, and Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill and Black Crappie sampled per net were above the 25% quartile for similar Lake Class 29 lakes. Additionally, the mean weights of Bluegill and Black Crappie sampled per net were above the 50% quartile for Lake Class 29 lakes.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2023 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., Iowa Darter, Mottled Sculpin, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). 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. An additional survey was completed on Lower (South) Island Lake in June 2023 resulting in a similar FIBI score. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Mississippi River - Grand Rapids Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lower (South) Island Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Lower (South) Island 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
- Island Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Lower (South) Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Upper (North) Island Lake · 114 ac · 1.2 mi
- Eagle Lake · 389 ac · 2.6 mi
- Cross Lake · 107 ac · 3.9 mi
- Springer Lake · 8 ac · 3.9 mi
- Tamarack Lake · 235 ac · 5.5 mi
- Blackwood Lake · 34 ac · 7.7 mi
- Cole Lake · 142 ac · 7.9 mi
- Corona Lake · 27 ac · 8.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lower (South) Island Lake?
Lower (South) Island Lake reaches 22 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 9 ft; about 65% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lower (South) Island Lake?
Lower (South) Island Lake covers 320 acres with about 5.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lower (South) Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Lower (South) Island Lake average 8.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lower (South) Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lower (South) Island Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Lower (South) Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Lower (South) Island Lake has one public access site: Island Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Lower (South) Island 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 1994.
When was Lower (South) Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lower (South) Island Lake in 2024, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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