Minnesota · Hennepin County
Medicine Lake Fishing guide
Medicine Lake sits in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and covers 924 acres, reaching 49 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2019Fair numbers2.3per gill net18"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 20 fish
2023Lengths measured · 28 fish
2020Lengths measured · 34 fish
2017Lengths measured · 32 fish
2014Northern pikeGood numbers13.6per gill net24"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 126 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 126 fish
2023Lengths measured · 261 fish
2020Lengths measured · 108 fish
2017Lengths measured · 91 fish
2014BluegillFair numbers33per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 490 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 490 fish
2023Lengths measured · 330 fish
2020Lengths measured · 139 fish
2017Lengths measured · 512 fish
2014CrappieJust a few3per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 113 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 113 fish
2023Lengths measured · 272 fish
2020Lengths measured · 64 fish
2017Lengths measured · 151 fish
2014Yellow perchFair numbers2.1per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 49 fish
2023Lengths measured · 26 fish
2020Lengths measured · 116 fish
2017Lengths measured · 25 fish
2014No 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 Medicine Lake through the year
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. On a lake that drops to 49 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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. On a lake that drops to 49 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 36" | 25" | 11" |
| 2020 | 33" | 27" | 15" |
| 2017 | 37" | 26" | — |
| 2014 | 35" | 27" | — |
| 2012 | 35" | 26" | 17" |
| 2008 | 33" | 26" | 10" |
| 2006 | 35" | 27" | 14" |
| 2004 | 33" | 26" | 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 · 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
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 · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Walleye | 16,836 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 16,673 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Medicine Lake is a 924-acre lake surrounded by the cities of Plymouth and Medicine Lake. Clifton E. French Regional Park (a Three Rivers Parks District property) borders the northwest portion of the lake and provides the only public boat launch during the open-water season; a fee is charged for parking boat trailer-vehicle combinations. Harty's Boatworks, located on the east side of the lake, rents boats and provides drive-on wintertime access. Two Plymouth city parks provide year-round shore-based access.
Medicine has a maximum depth of 49 feet, and supports populations of Northern Pike, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie. In 2021, a special regulation went into effect, limiting the harvest of Bluegill and Black Crappie to 5 fish per day of each species. In 2023, a Standard Survey was conducted.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike are highly abundant in Medicine, and plenty of harvest opportunity exists. Thirty-eight percent of the 126 pike sampled were smaller than 22 inches, and 35% of the sample exceeded 26 inches. The largest fish measured 36.0 inches. With the presence of smaller fish, and a good chance of catching a few larger fish, Medicine Lake would be an ideal spot for the harvest oriented angler.
Walleye are also present in the lake, and fish size ranged between 13 and 26 inches in 2023. The average size of Walleye in Medicine Lake was 19.2 inches and 2.65 pounds. Walleye were last stocked in Medicine Lake in 2019.
Largemouth Bass sampling was not conducted in 2020, however, the lake supports a bass population, and continues to be a popular destination for bass anglers. When bass sampling was last conducted, in 2014, fish ages 1 through 10 years old were caught, which shows that the fish are successfully reproducing each year.
Medicine Lake supports a strong population of Bluegill. Although not highly abundant, the fish attain quality sizes in the lake. In 2023, the largest Bluegill sampled was 9.0 inches long. Because the lake can support large Bluegill, a special regulation was implemented with the aim of protecting those fish so that they remain in the population and have the opportunity to grow large. By harvesting a limit of 5 Bluegill per day instead of 20, anglers will give the fish a chance to persist, and the large ones won't be cropped off as quickly as they usually are. In time, we hope that a greater proportion of the fish in the population will attain a large size. Black Crappie are abundant in the lake, and of modest size. We hope that with the special regulation of a 5 bag limit, size of these fish will improve as well.
Although not the most popular game fish, the Yellow Bullhead in Medicine Lake are both abundant and of quality size. The average size Yellow Bullhead was 11.4 inches and 0.8 pound. Thirty-five percent of the sample exceeded 12 inches, and the largest fish was 14.2 inches long. If you are in the metro and a fan of catching these fish, Medicine Lake should be on your list of lakes to try.
Other species caught in low abundances included Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Bowfin, Hybrid Sunfish, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, and Pumpkinseed.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Medicine Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Medicine 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
- Medicine Lake, French Regional Park (trailer launch)
- Medicine Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Medicine Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Parkers Lake · 100 ac · 2.5 mi
- Bass Lake · 183 ac · 3.3 mi
- Eagle Lake · 296 ac · 4.7 mi
- Crystal Lake · 79 ac · 4.9 mi
- Twin Lake · 217 ac · 5 mi
- Wirth Lake · 40 ac · 5.2 mi
- Cedar Lake · 164 ac · 5.9 mi
- Fish Lake · 238 ac · 6.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Medicine Lake?
Medicine Lake reaches 49 ft at its deepest point; about 43% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Medicine Lake?
Medicine Lake covers 924 acres with about 8.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Medicine Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Medicine Lake average 7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Medicine Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Medicine Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2019; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Medicine Lake have a public access?
Yes. Medicine Lake has 2 public access sites, including Medicine Lake, French Regional Park (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Medicine Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 36"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2004.
When was Medicine Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Medicine Lake in 2023, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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