Minnesota · Cass County
Mabel Lake Fishing guide
Mabel Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 184 acres, reaching 14 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassPresent2per trap net8"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 42 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 42 fish
2022Lengths measured · 29 fish
2013Lengths measured · 24 fish
2006Lengths measured · 20 fish
1998Northern pikeGood numbers13per gill net21"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 82 fish
2022Lengths measured · 50 fish
2013Lengths measured · 71 fish
2006Lengths measured · 162 fish
1998BluegillFair numbers31.3per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 361 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 361 fish
2022Lengths measured · 1239 fish
2013Lengths measured · 510 fish
2006Lengths measured · 5962 fish
1998Yellow perchGood numbers11.3per gill net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 68 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 68 fish
2022Lengths measured · 91 fish
2013Lengths measured · 56 fish
2006Lengths measured · 423 fish
1998Rock bassGood numbers0.8per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 13 fish
2022Lengths measured · 2 fish
2013Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2006Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 14 fish
1998Rates 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 Mabel Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11.6 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 100% 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. A 14-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11.6 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 100% 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. A 14-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | 33" | 19" | 15" |
| 2013 | 34" | 28" | 18" |
| 2006 | 30" | 27" | 20" |
| 1998 | 33" | 25" | 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 · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
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 · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 576,630 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 576,810 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 600,750 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 576,375 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 193,680 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 193,050 fry · 1,417 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Mabel Lake is a 184-acre lake with 2.15 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 14 feet located west of Remer, MN in the Chippewa National Forest. A US Forest Service owned public access is located on the east shore, as well as a federal campground with a picnic area and swimming beach. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Mabel Lake is in Lake Class 39; lakes in this class are shallow and often support robust populations of sunfish and Northern Pike. Other area lakes in this class include Lomish and Town Line Lake. Mabel Lake is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie and secondarily for Walleye, Northern Pike, and Yellow Perch.
Mabel Lake provides multi-species angling opportunity dominated by Largemouth Bass, Sunfish, and Northern Pike. Largemouth Bass abundance exceeded management goals with fish up to 16 inches sampled. Northern Pike abundance was above the maximum management goal and pike ranged in length from 13 to 34 inches. Bluegill abundance was within the management goal range and roughly half of sampled Bluegill measured 6 inches or longer, ranging in length from 2 to 9 inches. Walleye measured between 17 and 19 inches and abundance was low.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species that anglers can expect to encounter in Mabel Lake include Hybrid Sunfish and Rock Bass.
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 Mabel 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
Mabel Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Mabel 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
- Mabel Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Mabel Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Swift Lake · 357 ac · 3.3 mi
- Lower Trelipe Lake · 618 ac · 4 mi
- Boy Lake · 3,308 ac · 5.1 mi
- Big Sand Lake · 731 ac · 5.2 mi
- Upper Trelipe Lake · 421 ac · 5.3 mi
- Long Lake · 1,007 ac · 5.4 mi
- Inguadona Lake · 1,133 ac · 5.4 mi
- Little Sand Lake · 413 ac · 5.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Mabel Lake?
Mabel Lake reaches 14 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Mabel Lake?
Mabel Lake covers 184 acres with about 2.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Mabel Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Mabel Lake average 11.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Mabel Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Mabel Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Mabel Lake have a public access?
Yes. Mabel Lake has one public access site: Mabel Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Mabel Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 33"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was Mabel Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Mabel Lake in 2022, the most recent of 6 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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