Minnesota · Cass County
Lower Trelipe Lake Fishing guide
Lower Trelipe Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 618 acres, reaching 32 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 4.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.8per gill net16"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 34 fish
2023Lengths measured · 31 fish
2019Lengths measured · 26 fish
2014Lengths measured · 65 fish
2011Northern pikeFair numbers8.5per gill net19"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 102 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 102 fish
2023Lengths measured · 71 fish
2019Lengths measured · 118 fish
2014Lengths measured · 98 fish
2011BluegillJust a few6.9per trap net5"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 122 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 122 fish
2023Lengths measured · 708 fish
2019Lengths measured · 41 fish
2014Lengths measured · 46 fish
2011CrappieJust a few0.8per trap net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 52 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 52 fish
2023Lengths measured · 123 fish
2019Lengths measured · 28 fish
2014Lengths measured · 47 fish
2011Yellow perchGood numbers4.7per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 57 fish
2023Lengths measured · 61 fish
2019Lengths measured · 26 fish
2014Lengths measured · 23 fish
2011Rates 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 Trelipe 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.
- 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.
- 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" | 32" | 16" |
| 2019 | 26" | 32" | 19" |
| 2014 | 22" | 26" | 16" |
| 2011 | 24" | 26" | 15" |
| 2005 | 26" | 31" | 19" |
| 1998 | 23" | 31" | 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:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 | 2,440 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 9,540 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 2,828 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 5,933 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 9,906 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Lower Trelipe Lake is a 618-acre lake with 6.63 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 32 feet located east of Longville, MN. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned public access is located on the east shore. The MNDNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Lower Trelipe Lake is in Lake Class 31; lakes in this class are characterized as generally clear and productive. Other area lakes in this class include Bowen, Child, and Five Point Lakes. The lake is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Walleye, and secondarily for Black Crappie, Bluegill, Tullibee (Cisco), and Yellow Perch. A daily limit of five Sunfish went into effect on Lower Trelipe in 2022.
Lower Trelipe Lake provides multi-species angling opportunity with the potential for both quantity and quality size fish. Largemouth Bass up to 17 inches were sampled. Northern Pike are abundant, exceeding the lake's maximum management goal. Sampled pike ranged from 11 to 33 inches and averaged 19 inches long. Walleye abundance in the lake is low and lengths ranged from 8 to 22 inches. Black Crappie catch rates exceeded lake management catch goals and crappie 4 to 13 inches were sampled. Bluegill catch rates fell within the target management range and exceeded size goals with roughly half of sampled fish measuring 6 inches or longer and fish up to 10 inches sampled. Tullibee (Cisco) and Yellow Perch abundance has remained low since the early 2000's.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species that anglers can expect to encounter in Lower Trelipe Lake include Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Currently, no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Lower Trelipe Lake. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. 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. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lower Trelipe Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Lower Trelipe 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 Trelipe Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Lower Trelipe Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Upper Trelipe Lake · 421 ac · 1.7 mi
- Inguadona Lake · 1,133 ac · 3 mi
- Little Bass Lake · 136 ac · 3.5 mi
- Mabel Lake · 184 ac · 4 mi
- Mitten Lake · 113 ac · 4.1 mi
- Island Lake · 358 ac · 4.4 mi
- Rice Lake · 270 ac · 4.9 mi
- Thunder Lake · 1,347 ac · 5.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lower Trelipe Lake?
Lower Trelipe Lake reaches 32 ft at its deepest point; about 57% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lower Trelipe Lake?
Lower Trelipe Lake covers 618 acres with about 6.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lower Trelipe Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Lower Trelipe Lake average 4.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lower Trelipe Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lower Trelipe Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Lower Trelipe Lake have a public access?
Yes. Lower Trelipe Lake has one public access site: Lower Trelipe Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Lower Trelipe 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 1998.
When was Lower Trelipe Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lower Trelipe Lake in 2023, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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