Minnesota · Anoka County
Martin Lake Fishing guide
Martin Lake is a 232-acre lake in Anoka County, Minnesota, reaching 20 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few3.2per gill net24"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 19 fish
2024Lengths measured · 10 fish
2015Lengths measured · 6 fish
2009Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 22 fish
2004BluegillPresent2.2per gill net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 357 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2024Lengths measured · 344 fish
2021Lengths measured · 219 fish
2015Lengths measured · 150 fish
2009CrappiePresent23.2per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 139 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 139 fish
2024Lengths measured · 67 fish
2015Lengths measured · 1725 fish
2009Lengths measured · 209 fish
2004Yellow perchGood numbers5.8per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 34 fish
2024Lengths measured · 47 fish
2015Lengths measured · 3 fish
2009Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 18 fish
2004No recent survey rating.
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 Martin Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.8 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. With 60% 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. In 2.8 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 60% 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 | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 20" | 33" | 8" |
| 2021 | 16" | — | — |
| 2015 | 19" | 31" | 8" |
| 2009 | 24" | 32" | 5" |
| 2004 | 19" | 33" | 9" |
| 1999 | 20" | 29" | 9" |
| 1994 | 25" | 27" | 8" |
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
Planer Board Spread
4–6" crankbait or a 5–6 ft crawler harness run out to the side on an in-line planer board
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
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
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 | 114,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 35,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 142,485 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 280,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 140,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 140,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 140,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 140,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 280,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Martin Lake is a 232-acre, class 24 lake located in northern Anoka County, about 5 miles west of the town of Wyoming. The lake has 140 littoral acres, and a maximum depth of 20 feet. The primary management species is Walleye, and the secondary management species are Bluegill and Black Crappie. To prevent winter kills, an aeration system was installed in 1993. Abundant populations of Common Carp and Bullhead may be limiting factors for other fish species in the lake. Common Carp removal has occurred in 1987, 1999, and 2008 by licensed commercial fisherman. Martin Lake is stocked with Walleye fry at a rate of 1,000 fish per littoral acre (140,000 fish). This report details the most recent gill net survey from July of 2024. The previous gill net survey was conducted in June of 2015.
Walleyes were sampled by gill nets at a rate of 1.0 fish per net. This is the third consecutive year that the lake has failed to meet the 25th percentile for the lake class. However, the mid-range management goal for Martin Lake is being met: To maintain a Walleye population with a catch rate of 1.0 fish per net. Size was above average for the lake class with lengths ranging from 17.8 to 20.5 inches and an average of 18.9 inches. The majority of fish aged were 5 years old.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike were sampled at a rate of 3.2 fish per gill net, which is slightly below average for the lake class. This catch rate has increased over the previous two surveys: 0.33 and 2.25 fish per net in 2009 and 2015, respectively. Average size was 24.8 inches. Fish ranged from 18.6 inches to 33.3 inches, and nearly 17% were 30 inches or longer.
Yellow Perch were sampled at a rate of 5.83 fish per gill net. This catch rate is lower than the previous survey (11.25 fish per net) and is below average for the lake class. Yellow Perch catch rates have been variable among survey years for Martin Lake. Size was above average for the lake class, with an average length of 6.8 inches. The largest Yellow Perch sampled was 8.3 inches.
Bluegill and Black Crappie were also sampled in gill nets; however, summer gill nets are not the optimal sampling gear to produce reliable data for the estimation of abundance or size structure for these species. Other fish species were sampled including Largemouth Bass, Brown Bullhead, Black Bullhead, and Common Carp.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Martin Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Martin 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
- Martin Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Martin Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Typo Lake · 298 ac · 2 mi
- Linwood Lake · 572 ac · 2.6 mi
- Fish Lake · 334 ac · 4.3 mi
- Coon Lake · 1,481 ac · 6.6 mi
- Comfort Lake · 218 ac · 8 mi
- Green Lake · 1,810 ac · 9.5 mi
- Clear Lake · 429 ac · 9.6 mi
- Forest Lake · 2,271 ac · 10.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Martin Lake?
Martin Lake reaches 20 ft at its deepest point; about 60% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Martin Lake?
Martin Lake covers 232 acres with about 3.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Martin Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Martin Lake average 2.8 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Martin Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Martin Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Martin Lake have a public access?
Yes. Martin Lake has one public access site: Martin Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Martin Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 20"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Martin Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Martin Lake in 2024, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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