Minnesota · Blue Earth County
Madison Lake Fishing guide
Madison Lake is a 1,447-acre lake in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, reaching 59 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 27 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Excellent numbers6.3per gill net20"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 113 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 70 fish
2025Lengths measured · 2 fish
2023Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 43 fish
2022Lengths measured · 38 fish
2022Largemouth bassFair numbers22.2per hr (electrofishing)9"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 103 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 68 fish
2025Lengths measured · 35 fish
2022Lengths measured · 41 fish
2019Lengths measured · 76 fish
2016Northern pikeLast stocked 2022Fair numbers7per gill net26"Typical39"Biggest
Lengths measured · 133 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 33 fish
2025Lengths measured · 100 fish
2022Lengths measured · 43 fish
2019Lengths measured · 116 fish
2016BluegillJust a few19per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 569 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 346 fish
2025Lengths measured · 223 fish
2022Lengths measured · 271 fish
2019Lengths measured · 239 fish
2019CrappieJust a few5.3per trap net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1209 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 464 fish
2025Lengths measured · 745 fish
2022Lengths measured · 583 fish
2019Lengths measured · 465 fish
2016Yellow perchExcellent numbers14.3per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 234 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 170 fish
2025Lengths measured · 64 fish
2022Lengths measured · 124 fish
2019Lengths measured · 278 fish
2016No recent survey rating.
White bassFair numbers0.8per gill net9"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 6 fish
2025Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2022Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 9 fish
2011Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2010Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Madison Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.3 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. On a lake that drops to 59 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 2.3 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. On a lake that drops to 59 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28" | 19" | 39" |
| 2023 | 8" | — | — |
| 2022 | 25" | 18" | 38" |
| 2021 | 9" | — | — |
| 2020 | 7" | — | — |
| 2019 | 28" | 18" | 38" |
| 2016 | 27" | 18" | 38" |
| 2011 | 26" | 18" | 36" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
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 | 361,000 fry |
| 2022 | Northern Pike | 100,623 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,446,000 fry |
| 2021 | Northern Pike | 106,050 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,435,460 fry |
| 2019 | Northern Pike | 100,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,446,000 fry |
| 2017 | Northern Pike | 100,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,452,292 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Madison Lake was conducted on 22 August 2025 by DNR Fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 18 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 13 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used to sample 4 stations. One station could not be seined.
Nearshore sampling captured 18 species of fish including one Logperch which is a species that are intolerant of disturbance. The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a standard 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. Madison Lake scored a 13 which is below the level for impairment (45) for tool 2 shallow lakes. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Iowa Darter), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Bigmouth Buffalo). 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. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Le Sueur River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Madison Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Madison 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
- Madison Lake (E) (trailer launch)
- Madison Lake (NW) (trailer launch)
- Madison Lake, Bray Park (trailer launch)
- Madison Lake (SE) (carry-in)
- Madison Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
- Madison Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
- Madison Lake Shore Fishing Site (shore fishing)
DNR bathymetry
Madison Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Duck Lake · 290 ac · 2.4 mi
- Ballantyne Lake · 371 ac · 2.7 mi
- George Lake · 88 ac · 4.9 mi
- Eagle Lake · 898 ac · 4.9 mi
- Frances Lake · 927 ac · 5 mi
- Elysian (Main Lake) · 2,215 ac · 5.4 mi
- Roemhildts Lake · 74 ac · 6.2 mi
- Washington Lake · 1,516 ac · 6.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Madison Lake?
Madison Lake reaches 59 ft at its deepest point; about 50% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Madison Lake?
Madison Lake covers 1,447 acres with about 12.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Madison Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Madison Lake average 2.3 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Madison Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, white bass.
Is Madison Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Madison Lake have a public access?
Yes. Madison Lake has 7 public access sites, including Madison Lake (E) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Madison Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2011.
When was Madison Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Madison Lake in 2025, the most recent of 27 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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