Minnesota · Hubbard County
Middle Crooked Lake Fishing guide
Middle Crooked Lake sits in Hubbard County, Minnesota, and covers 289 acres, reaching 33 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassLast stocked 2023Present, stocked0.3per trap net13"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2022Lengths measured · 6 fish
2012Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2002Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few5.2per gill net19"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 38 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 38 fish
2022Lengths measured · 45 fish
2012Lengths measured · 32 fish
2002BluegillLast stocked 2023Just a few5.3per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 57 fish
2022Lengths measured · 85 fish
2012Lengths measured · 240 fish
2002CrappieJust a few0.7per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 45 fish
2022Lengths measured · 20 fish
2012Lengths measured · 27 fish
2002Yellow perchFair numbers2per gill net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2022Lengths measured · 14 fish
2012Lengths measured · 5 fish
2002Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No 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 Middle Crooked Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 12.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. With 90% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12.6 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 90% 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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 17" | 31" | 8" |
| 2012 | 19" | 32" | 8" |
| 2002 | 14" | 31" | 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:
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
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
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Bluegill Sunfish | 58 adults |
| 2023 | Largemouth Bass | 48 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Middle Crooked is located five miles north of Nevis in central Hubbard County. Middle Crooked has a surface area of 289 acres and a maximum depth of 33 feet. With the exception of the middle bay, much of the lake is shallow, with 89% of the lake area less than 15 feet deep. There is a state-owned public access located on the northeast shore of the lake off County Road 2. Due to its shallow depth, Middle Crooked has experienced periodic partial winterkill events. Dissolved oxygen levels can become low during long winters with heavy snow fall. Gamefish such as Largemouth Bass and Bluegill are less tolerant of low oxygen levels than are Northern Pike and bullhead species. Abundance of certain gamefish species has fluctuated with these partial winterkill events.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Middle Crooked is in lake class 35. Class 35 lakes generally have a very irregular shaped shoreline and very high littoral area (water depth less than 15 feet).
Read the full DNR narrative
Middle Crooked provides angling opportunities for Northern Pike, panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Present and past surveys have shown a moderate Northern Pike population composed of small to medium sized fish. Sampled Northern Pike had an average length and weight of 20.9 inches and 2.0 pounds with fish measured up to 31.9 inches. Good numbers of Black Crappie and Bluegill were sampled, however, fish ran small in size. Sampled Black Crappie were less than 10 inches and few Bluegills were over 7 inches sampled. Age analysis showed very slow growth rates for Black Crappie and Bluegill. The Largemouth Bass population in Middle Crooked fluctuates from very low to moderate numbers depending on the frequency of winterkill events. Largemouth Bass up to 17.5 inches were sampled. Yellow Perch were sampled in low numbers and generally not a preferred size for angling. Yellow Perch up to 8.5 inches were sampled.
Other species sampled included high numbers of Yellow Bullhead, and low numbers of Pumpkinseed and White Sucker.
Currently no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Middle Crooked. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft ad drain all water from their boat before leaving the access.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Middle Crooked Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Middle Crooked 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
- Middle Crooked Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Middle Crooked Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- East Crooked Lake · 379 ac · 1.2 mi
- West Crooked Lake · 270 ac · 1.5 mi
- Crow Wing Lake · 47 ac · 1.6 mi
- Waboose Lake · 175 ac · 2.2 mi
- Spider Lake · 570 ac · 2.4 mi
- Dead Lake · 131 ac · 2.7 mi
- Indian Lake · 51 ac · 2.9 mi
- Ojibway Lake · 184 ac · 3.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Middle Crooked Lake?
Middle Crooked Lake reaches 33 ft at its deepest point; about 90% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Middle Crooked Lake?
Middle Crooked Lake covers 289 acres with about 8.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Middle Crooked Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Middle Crooked Lake average 12.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Middle Crooked Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Middle Crooked Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked bluegill sunfish and largemouth bass in 2023.
Does Middle Crooked Lake have a public access?
Yes. Middle Crooked Lake has one public access site: Middle Crooked Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Middle Crooked Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 17"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2002.
When was Middle Crooked Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Middle Crooked Lake in 2022, the most recent of 5 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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